capstan

[Cap·stan]

A windlass rotated in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis; used on ships for weighing anchor or raising heavy sails

...

A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket.

Noun
a windlass rotated in a horizontal plane around a vertical axis; used on ships for weighing anchor or raising heavy sails

n.
A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket.

Capstan

Cap"stan , n. [F. cabestan, fr. Sp. cabestrante, cabrestante, fr. cabestrar to bind with a halter, fr. cabestrohalter, fr. L. capistrum halter, fr. capere to hold (see Capacious); or perh. the Spanish is fr. L. caper goat + stans, p. pr. of stare to stand; cf. F. ch'8avre she-goat, also a machine for raising heavy weights.] A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket. [Sometimes spelt Capstern, but improperly.] Capstan bar, one of the long bars or levers by which the capstan is worked; a handspike.. -- To pawl the capstan, to drop the pawls so that they will catch in the notches of the pawl ring, and prevent the capstan from turning back. -- To rig the capstan, to prepare the for use, by putting the bars in the sockets. -- To surge the capstan, to slack the tension of the rope or cable wound around it.

A vertical cleated drum or cylinder, revolving on an upright spindle, and surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for bars or levers. It is much used, especially on shipboard, for moving or raising heavy weights or exerting great power by traction upon a rope or cable, passing around the drum. It is operated either by steam power or by a number of men walking around the capstan, each pushing on the end of a lever fixed in its socket.

...

Usage Examples

Misspelled Form

capstan, xcapstan, dcapstan, fcapstan, vcapstan, capstan, xapstan, dapstan, fapstan, vapstan, apstan, cxapstan, cdapstan, cfapstan, cvapstan, c apstan, cqapstan, cwapstan, csapstan, czapstan, cqpstan, cwpstan, cspstan, czpstan, caqpstan, cawpstan, caspstan, cazpstan, caopstan, ca0pstan, calpstan, caostan, ca0stan, calstan, capostan, cap0stan, caplstan, capastan, capwstan, capestan, capdstan, capxstan, capzstan, capatan, capwtan, capetan, capdtan, capxtan, capztan, capsatan, capswtan, capsetan, capsdtan, capsxtan, capsztan, capsrtan, caps5tan, caps6tan, capsytan, capsgtan, capsran, caps5an, caps6an, capsyan, capsgan, capstran, capst5an, capst6an, capstyan, capstgan, capstqan, capstwan, capstsan, capstzan, capstqn, capstwn, capstsn, capstzn, capstaqn, capstawn, capstasn, capstazn, capstabn, capstahn, capstajn, capstamn, capsta n, capstab, capstah, capstaj, capstam, capsta , capstanb, capstanh, capstanj, capstanm, capstan .