Meanings
plural polyspasts
- A machine consisting of many pulleys
The Bishop of Chrysopolis, his Majesty's former tutor, consecrated the foundation-stone, which was suspended from two elegant polyspasts; the Emperor himself laid it.
1849, Adalbert, Travels of His Royal Highness Prince Adalbert of Prussia, page 275Synonyms: block and tackle, muffle, hoisting-tackle
- surgicalA machine of many pulleys, formerly used to reduce dislocation
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA machine consisting of many pulleys
Origin
- Ancient Greekπολύσπαστον“compound pulley”
- Latinpolyspaston“hoisting-tackle with many pulleys”
- Englishpolyspast
From Latin polyspaston (“hoisting-tackle with many pulleys”), from Ancient Greek πολύσπαστον (polúspaston, “compound pulley”).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
polyspast. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyspast
“polyspast.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyspast. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyspast,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyspast.
Source: polyspast on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.