Pawl vs. Ratchet: What's the Difference?

A hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion.

A mechanism consisting of a pawl that engages the sloping teeth of a wheel or bar, permitting motion in one direction only.

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.

The pawl, wheel, or bar of this mechanism.

A similar device to prevent motion in other mechanisms besides ratchets.

A dance featuring ratcheting movements of the arms bent at the elbows.

(transitive) To stop with a pawl.

To cause to increase or decrease by increments:tried to ratchet up interest in the program.

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.

To increase or decrease by increments.

To stop with a pawl; to drop the pawls off.

Lacking in class, refinement, or good taste.

A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward

A pawl, click, or detent for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.

A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch and pawl.

A ratchet wrench.

(by extension) A procedure or regulation that goes in one direction, usually up.

A noisemaker or musical instrument where sound is generated by a board striking against a rotating gear. See gragger, raganella.

(transitive) To cause to become incremented or decremented.

(intransitive) To increment or decrement.

Ghetto; unseemly, indecorous.

A pawl, click, or detent, for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.

A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch, and pawl. See Ratchet wheel, below, and 2d Ratch.

Mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction

Move by degrees in one direction only;