A pawl is a small, pivoting mechanical catch that fits into the teeth or notches of a ratchet wheel so it can move in one direction but not slip backwards.

Basic meaning

  • In mechanics, a pawl is a hinged or pivoted bar or tongue that drops into a toothed wheel (a ratchet) to:
    • Allow motion in one direction.
    • Block motion in the opposite direction.
  • You see pawls in things like winches, hoists, clocks, and other ratcheting tools where “backward” motion would be unsafe or unwanted.

In a sentence

  • “The winch’s pawl clicked against the ratchet as the load was lifted.”
  • As a verb (less common): “The gear was pawled to keep it from slipping back,” meaning it was stopped or held by a pawl.

Extra: origin and related words

  • The word goes back to around the 1620s and likely comes from French terms related to a stake or shoulder , all tied to the idea of fastening or holding something in place.
  • It’s different from the similar-sounding pall (a covering or something that casts gloom) and Paul (a name), which often get confused in writing discussions online.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.