noun

winch

wihnch

noun

A mechanical device with a drum and crank (or motor) used to haul or hoist a rope or cable.

"They used a winch to pull the truck out of the ditch."

"The sailboat's winch made it easy to tighten the sail."

verb

To pull or lift something using such a device.

"The crew winched the lifeboat back onto the deck."

How to Use Winch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA crank-and-drum tool for hauling heavy things, or the act of pulling something with one.

Common pairings

winch something up a hand winch electric winch

winched past tense, winched past tense, winched past tense, winches plural, Winches plural, winches singular, winches singular, winches singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “winch” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

They used a _____ to pull the truck out of the ditch.

From Old English winċe, related to the word "wink" through a shared root meaning "to bend or turn".

inch bench conch lunch punch wench finch lynch cinch pinch bunch munch