winch

winch — noun

1. a piece of equipment that raises or moves very heavy objects through a turning d

1.nounB2
Definition

a piece of equipment that raises or moves very heavy objects through a turning drum that winds a steel cable.

Example

The rescue team used a winch to pull the damaged car out of the ditch.

collocation: used a winch to pull [something] out of [place]

Henrik operated the winch while his co-workers guided the heavy crate onto the ship.

Common collocations
  • operate a winch
  • electric winch
  • hand winch
  • winch cable
  • winch drum
  • winch operator
Synonyms
  • hoist

    a device for lifting, but often implies a pulley or block-and-tackle system rather than a rotating drum

  • windlass

    a specific type of winch, especially on ships, with a horizontal drum

  • crane

    a larger machine with a projecting arm, used for both lifting and moving loads horizontally

Grammar Patterns

a winch

the winch

Usage Note

Common in rescue, construction, marine, and off-road vehicle contexts. A winch differs from a crane in that it winds a rope or chain around a drum, rather than suspending a load from a long arm.

Common Mistakes

They used a crane to pull the jeep out of the mud.
They used a winch to pull the jeep out of the mud.
a crane has a long boom for lifting; a winch winds a cable around a drum and is better suited for pulling.

winch — verb

Word family

  • winched
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words refer to machines that move heavy objects, but they differ in design and typical use. A winch uses a rotating drum to wind a rope or chain, making it ideal for pulling objects horizontally or lifting them with a direct vertical pull. A hoist typically works with a pulley or block-and-tackle system and is designed mainly for vertical lifting. A crane has a long projecting arm (boom) that can lift loads and also swing them sideways. For example, a tow truck uses a winch to pull a car out of a ditch, a factory uses a hoist to lift boxes to an upper floor, and a construction site uses a crane to place steel beams onto a building frame.

winch ↗hoistcrane ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • the winch cable
  • a hand winch
  • an electric winch
  • a hydraulic winch

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Winch comes from Old English 'wince', meaning a pulley or roller. This word is related to the Old High German 'winkil' (corner) and 'wankon' (to waver), and to the English word 'wink' — all from a Proto-Germanic root meaning 'to move sideways or bend'. The modern mechanical sense of a winding drum for lifting heavy loads developed in Middle English.