What does winch mean?
A winch is a simple but useful machine for producing pulling or lifting force by winding a rope, cable, or chain around a drum or axle. The name is especially common in nautical, industrial, construction, automotive, and rescue settings, where equipment may be hauled with a mechanical winch. As a verb, "winch" describes the controlled movement of a load: a vehicle can be winched out of mud, a boat can be winched up a ramp, or a cable can be pulled in. Although the word can sound mechanical and highly specific, it has a straightforward general meaning: to pull something with controlled force. The expression "winch up" is especially familiar because it describes raising a load by such a device. Its Germanic ancestry also reflects the basic idea of turning or winding that lies behind the machine's operation.
A mechanical device for pulling or lifting, consisting typically of a drum or axle on which a rope, cable, or chain is wound.
"They attached the cable to the winch and hauled the crate up the slope."
The term is common in nautical, industrial, automotive, and construction settings. It can also be used more broadly for a winching mechanism.
To pull, haul, or lift something using a winch, or to operate a winch to draw in a rope or cable.
"The operator winched the platform down to the dock."
Usually transitive, though it can also be used without a stated object in technical descriptions, as in "the crew winched the line slowly."
The standard plural of the noun is "winches," pronounced /ˈwɪntʃɪz/.
"Two winches were installed on the deck."
A winch turns winding power into controlled pulling power, making it one of the simplest machines for hauling heavy loads.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How winch is actually used
The noun is primarily technical, especially in nautical, industrial, automotive, and rigging contexts. The verb is commonly transitive, as in "winch up the cargo," while "winch" can also refer to the act of operating such a device.
Easily confused with winch
A wench is an archaic term for a young woman, whereas a winch is a device for pulling or lifting.