Pawl vs. Ratchet: What's the Difference?

Pawl and Ratchet Definitions
Pawl
A hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion.
Ratchet
A mechanism consisting of a pawl that engages the sloping teeth of a wheel or bar, permitting motion in one direction only.
Pawl
A pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (e.g. on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively to move the wheel in one direction.
Ratchet
The pawl, wheel, or bar of this mechanism.
Pawl
A similar device to prevent motion in other mechanisms besides ratchets.
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Ratchet
A dance featuring ratcheting movements of the arms bent at the elbows.
Pawl
(transitive) To stop with a pawl.
Ratchet
To cause to increase or decrease by increments:tried to ratchet up interest in the program.
Pawl
A pivoted tongue, or sliding bolt, on one part of a machine, adapted to fall into notches, or interdental spaces, on another part, as a ratchet wheel, in such a manner as to permit motion in one direction and prevent it in the reverse, as in a windlass; a catch, click, or detent. See Illust. of Ratchet Wheel.
Ratchet
To increase or decrease by increments.
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Pawl
To stop with a pawl; to drop the pawls off.
Ratchet
Lacking in class, refinement, or good taste.
Pawl
A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward
Ratchet
A pawl, click, or detent for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.
Ratchet
A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch and pawl.
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Ratchet
A ratchet wrench.
Ratchet
(by extension) A procedure or regulation that goes in one direction, usually up.
Ratchet
A noisemaker or musical instrument where sound is generated by a board striking against a rotating gear. See gragger, raganella.
Ratchet
(transitive) To cause to become incremented or decremented.
It's time to ratchet up the intensity level here.
Ratchet
(intransitive) To increment or decrement.
Ratchet
Ghetto; unseemly, indecorous.
Ratchet
A pawl, click, or detent, for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.
Ratchet
A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch, and pawl. See Ratchet wheel, below, and 2d Ratch.
Ratchet
Mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction
Ratchet
Move by degrees in one direction only;
A ratcheting lopping tool