The meaning of PAWL is a pivoted tongue or sliding bolt on one part of a machine that is adapted to fall into notches or interdental spaces on another part so as to permit motion in only one direction.

A pawl is a movable lever that engages a fixed component to either prevent movement in one direction or restrain it altogether. As such, it is a type of latch and can also be considered a type of dog.

PAWL definition: a pivoted bar adapted to engage with the teeth of a ratchet wheel or the like so as to prevent movement or to impart motion. See examples of pawl used in a sentence.

A pawl is a pivoted lever shaped to engage with a ratchet wheel to prevent motion in a particular direction. A parking pawl prevents the transmission from rotating, and therefore the vehicle from …

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Jan 18, 2026 · pawl (plural pawls) A pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (e.g. on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively …

There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun pawl, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Pawl definition: A hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion.

Dec 29, 2025 · Learn what does pawl mean, its origins, how to use it in conversations, and the funniest ways it appears online. Get the ultimate guide to this quirky slang!

pawl (n.) "short iron bar acting as a catch or brake preventing a capstan from recoiling" (nautical) 1620s, of unknown origin; perhaps from French pal "stake" [OED] or épaule "shoulder" [Klein].