ratchet

C1 Topic:General Vocabulary

Also spelled rachet

US /ˈrætʃ.ɪt/ UK /ˈrætʃ.ɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #21083

Meanings

1

noun
a toothed wheel or bar with a pawl that permits motion in one direction while preventing motion in the other

The ratchet clicked as the wheel advanced one tooth at a time.
2

noun
a hand tool, especially a socket wrench, that uses a ratchet mechanism

She changed the socket on the ratchet before loosening the bolt.
3

verb
to move or cause something to change by a series of one-way steps

The new demand could ratchet costs up throughout the industry.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a toothed wheel or bar with... ratchratchet mechanism

2 noun · a hand tool, especially a... ratchet wrenchsocket wrench

3 verb · to move or cause something... increase incrementallyescalate

Opposites

releasede-escalate

Word family

Derived forms ratchetlikemicroratchetthermoratchet

Related forms pawlsocket wrenchrachet

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

ratchet screwdriver
a screwdriver with a mechanism that allows its blade to turn in one direction without resetting the grip

Noun + noun

Etymology

From French rochet, originally a blunt lance head and later a bobbin or ratchet, related to Italian rocchetto ("spool"). The English spelling was influenced by ratch, another name for the toothed mechanism. The verb developed from the noun.

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# ratchet

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈrætʃ.ɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈrætʃ.ɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 21083

## Meanings
1. a toothed wheel or bar with a pawl that permits motion in one direction while preventing motion in the other
2. a hand tool, especially a socket wrench, that uses a ratchet mechanism
3. to move or cause something to change by a series of one-way steps

## Examples
- The ratchet clicked as the wheel advanced one tooth at a time.
- She changed the socket on the ratchet before loosening the bolt.
- The new demand could ratchet costs up throughout the industry.

## Synonyms
- ratch
- ratchet mechanism
- ratchet wrench
- escalate

## Antonyms
- release
- de-escalate

## Derived Forms
- ratchetlike
- microratchet
- thermoratchet

## Related Forms
- pawl
- socket wrench
- rachet

## Etymology
From French rochet, originally a blunt lance head and later a bobbin or ratchet, related to Italian rocchetto ("spool"). The English spelling was influenced by ratch, another name for the toothed mechanism. The verb developed from the noun.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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