winch

plural winches

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. nauticalA 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. NigeriaslangA witch.

present singular third person winches · participle present winching · participle past winched · past winched

1. To use a winch

   Winch in those sails, lad!

present singular third person winches · participle present winching · participle past winched · past winched

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.

present singular third person winches · participle present winching · participle past winched · past winched

1. Scotlandambitransitivecolloquialto court

   They “clicked” each other, kidded each other, and by and by they would “winch” and marry each other.

   1935, Lennox Kerr, Woman of Glenshiels

   1 more example

   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

2. Scotlandambitransitivecolloquialto 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

   1 more example

   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

plural Winches

1. countableuncountableA surname from Old English.