Ratchet (Verb)
Meaning
Move by degrees in one direction only; "a ratcheting lopping tool".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The mechanism will ratchet up the tension in the rope to prevent it from coming loose.
- Her debts had continued to ratchet up over the years, leaving her struggling to stay afloat.
- Climbing the career ladder, her salary seemed to ratchet up exponentially with each promotion.
- Each attempt at reducing the weight limit only seemed to ratchet down the capacity of the entire system.
- Construction workers use a ratcheting wrench that allows them to apply wrenching force in one direction.