pulley

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a grooved wheel over which a rope, belt, or chain runs, used to change the direction of a force or help lift a load

   A fixed pulley let the worker raise the bucket by pulling downward.

2. 2
   verb

   to raise, lower, or move something by means of a pulley

   The crew pulleyed the equipment onto the roof.

From Middle English puly, from Old French polie or poulie, ultimately from Medieval Latin polidium and Ancient Greek polos ("pivot, axis"). Its resemblance to pull later encouraged a folk-etymological association in English.

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