Dictionary

winch en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /wɪnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

From Middle English wynche, from Old English winċe, from Proto-Germanic *winkijǭ, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”), whence also wink.

Meanings

1. A machine consisting of a drum on an axle, a friction brake or ratchet and pawl, and a crank handle or prime mover (often an electric or hydraulic motor), with or without gearing, to give increased mechanical advantage when hoisting or hauling on a rope or cable.
2. A hoisting device used for loading or unloading cargo, or for pulling in lines.
   • It runs on clattering steel tracks; the driver sits in a cab over the tracks, operating the controls that rotate the arm and turn the winch. 2013, J. M. Coetzee, chapter 27, in The Childhood of Jesus, Melbourne, Australia: The Text Publishing Company, page 267:
3. A wince (machine used in dyeing or steeping cloth).
4. A kick, as of an animal, from impatience or uneasiness.
   • the mule[…]being likewise frighted by that terrible blow, ran away as fast as it could about the fields, and within two or three winches overthrew him to the ground 1612–1620, [Miguel de Cervantes], translated by Thomas Shelton, The History of the Valorous and Wittie Knight-errant Don-Quixote of the Mancha. […], London: […] William Stansby, for Ed[ward] Blount and W. Barret, →OCLC:
5. (Nigeria, slang) A witch.

Forms

Deriveds

rope winch · winch handle

Descendants

وینچ · 원치 · winchi · vinsch · وِنْش · winis · güinche · vinsj · ウインチ · vȉnč · vinsj

Translations (70)

ja ウインチ (machine) · cmn 絞盤 /绞盘 (machine) · nb vinsj (machine) · ca gigre (machine) · da trækspil (machine) · ar مِلْفَاف (machine) · de Winde (machine) · es súcula (machine) · de Winsch (machine) · sl vitel (machine) · sk rumpál (machine) · bg макара (machine) · et vints (machine) · sk navijak (machine) · it bozzello (machine) · hu csörlő (machine) · tl biling-bilingan (machine) · it argano (machine) · mk ди́галка (machine) · gl guindastre (machine) · tr vinç (machine) · ru во́рот (machine) · tr ırgat (machine) · sv vinsch (machine) · zza vinç (machine) · ru лебёдка (machine) · is vinda (machine) · gl torno (machine) · it salpareti (machine) · gl guincho (machine) · es argüe (disused) (machine) · ang wince (machine) · bg лебе́дка (machine) · fi vintturi (machine) · mk че́крек (machine) · da spil (machine) · sw winchi (machine) · ka ჯალამბარი (machine) · cy winsh (machine) · es cabestrante (machine) · pl wciągarka (machine) · mi huritaura (machine) · lv vinda (machine) · ota ارغات (machine) · sq argano (machine) · kk шығыр (machine) · es güincher (machine) · nn vinsj (machine) · fr treuil (machine) · es cabrestante (machine) · it verricello (machine) · cy dirwynlath (machine) · es argue (disused) (machine) · eo vinĉo (machine) · nl windas (machine) · ota چقرق (machine) · pl kołowrót (machine) · la sucula (machine) · ko 원치 (machine) · nl lier (machine) · fi vinssi (machine) · ltg svērte (machine) · cmn 絞車 /绞车 (machine) · ca cabrestant (machine) · es torno (machine) · es güinche (machine) · ota بوجرغات (machine) · pt molinete (machine) · cs naviják (machine) · es wincha (machine)

winch en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /wɪnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

From Middle English wynche, from Old English winċe, from Proto-Germanic *winkijǭ, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”), whence also wink.

Meanings

1. To use a winch
   • Winch in those sails, lad!

Forms

Translations (11)

fi vinssata (use a winch) · ru поднима́ть с по́мощью лебёдки (use a winch) · is vinda (use a winch) · et vintsima (use a winch) · et vinnama (use a winch) · de winden (use a winch) · fr treuiller (use a winch) · cy winsio (use a winch) · sv vinscha (use a winch) · sl dvigovati (use a winch) · nb vinsje (use a winch)

winch en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /wɪnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

See wince.

Meanings

1. To wince; to shrink
   • It is not the first time a cat-o'-nine-tails has been across my back for other men's misdeeds. Promise me a good flask of brandy when I'm done with it, and I warrant ye I'll never winch. 1812, Joanna Baillie, The Dream, part Act 1:
2. To kick with impatience or uneasiness.

Forms

winch en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /wɪnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Variant form of wench.

Meanings

1. (Scotland, ambitransitive, colloquial) to court
   • It was common knowledge that he'd winched dozens of girls while she had been sharing a bedroom with her two brothers. 2020, Douglas Stuart, Shuggie Bain, page 59:
   • They “clicked” each other, kidded each other, and by and by they would “winch” and marry each other. 1935, Lennox Kerr, Woman of Glenshiels:
2. (Scotland, ambitransitive, colloquial) to kiss, snog
   • Up at the cinema Campbell Cameron had been all slithering hands, like a dirty octopus. Even his tenderest winching had felt entitled and demanding. 2020, Douglas Stuart, Shuggie Bain, page 58:
   • She turned and looked at me, amused, gave a wee chuckle, kissed me on the mouth hard and quick, and again, and we were kissing for real, lingering, soft and moist and warm, me and Jeannie winching, and I wanted it not to stop. 1998, Alan Spence, Way to go, page 61:

Forms