ratchet

ratchet · noun, verb¹

1. Italian · derived fromrocchetto“spool, ratchet”
2. French · derived fromrochet“bobbin, spindle, ratchet”
3. English todayratchet

From French rochet (“bobbin, spindle, ratchet”), from Italian rocchetto (“spool, ratchet”).

ratchet · adjective, noun²

Possibly a variant (representing a Southern or specifically Louisianan pronunciation) of wretched. Compare rasslin' for wrestling.