Standard Lemma guide

windlass

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈwɪnd.ləs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: windless
  • CMU ARPABET: W IH1 N D L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of various forms of winch, in which a rope or cable is wound around a cylinder, used for lifting heavy weights

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A winding and circuitous way; a roundabout course.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An apparatus resembling a winch or windlass, for bending the bow of an arblast, or crossbow.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To raise with, or as if with, a windlass; to use a windlass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To take a roundabout course; to work warily or by indirect means.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

lifting device consisting of a horizontal cylinder turned by a crank on which a cable or rope winds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: winch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lifting device

Narrower terms: capstan, yarder, yard donkey

History

Etymology

From Middle English wyndlas, wyndelas, wyndlasse, wyndelasse, probably an alteration (due to Middle English windel) of Middle English windas, wyndas, wyndace, from Anglo-Norman windase, windeis and Old Northern French windas (compare Old French guindas, Medieval Latin windasius, windasa), from Old Norse vindáss (“windlass”, literally “winding-pole”), from vinda (“to wind”) + áss (“pole”). Compare Icelandic vindilass.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: бра́шпіль (brášpilʹ) — winch
  • Belarusian: лябёдка (ljabjódka) — winch
  • Bulgarian: макара (makara) — winch
  • Bulgarian: хаспел (haspel) — winch
  • Catalan: argue — winch
  • Czech: rumpál — winch
  • Finnish: vintturi — winch
  • Galician: guindastre — winch
  • Hebrew: כַּנֶּנֶת (kanenet) — winch
  • Italian: argano — winch
  • Italian: verricello — winch
  • Italian: bozzello — winch
  • Italian: salpareti — winch
  • Latin: sucula — winch
  • Latin: tormentum — winch
  • Macedonian: ди́галка (dígalka) — winch
  • Māori: huritaura — winch
  • Norman: vitheveau — winch
  • Polish: kołowrót — winch
  • Russian: бра́шпиль (brášpilʹ) — winch
  • Russian: лебёдка (lebjódka) — winch
  • Serbo-Croatian: sidreno vitlo — winch
  • Spanish: malacate — winch
  • Tagalog: biling-bilingan — winch
  • Turkish: bocurgat — winch
  • Ottoman Turkish: بوجرغات (bocurgat) — winch
  • Ottoman Turkish: چقرق (çıkrık) — winch
  • Ottoman Turkish: ارغات (ırgat) — winch
  • Ukrainian: брашпиль (brašpylʹ) — winch
  • Ukrainian: лебідка (lebidka) — winch