▪ I. windlass, n.1
(ˈwɪndləs)
Forms: 5 wynlas(s)e, wyndelas, 5–6 wyndlas, 6 -lasse, wynlas, 6–7 windlesse, -lasse, wyndles(se, (also 9) windlace, 6–8 windlas, windles, 7 wyndeles, 7–8 windless, winlace, 8 winlass, 7– windlass.
[prob. alteration of windas, of obscure origin.
The alleged Icel. vindiláss is not authentic.]
1. A mechanical contrivance working on the principle of the wheel and axle, on a horizontal axis (thus distinguished from a capstan); consisting of a roller or beam, resting on supports, round which a rope or chain is wound; used for various purposes, esp. on board ship for weighing the anchor or hauling upon a purchase, at the head of a mine-shaft for hoisting coal or other mineral, or for raising a bucket from a well.
Chinese windlass or differential windlass: see Chinese a. 2, and cf. differential a. 4 b. Spanish windlass: see Spanish a. 7.
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 12652 The schippes were sone on a blase, Thei brende bothe mast & wynlase. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 529 Wyndynge, wythe wyndelas [Winch. MS. wyndas], obvolucio. 1526 Dunmow Churchw. Acc. lf. 5 b (MS.), Item to John Harvy and Wylyem barcar for a brayde to helpe to make the wynlas, iii.d. 1538 Elyot, Tractorium, a windlas to draw vp heuy thingis. 1552 in Glasscock Rec. St. Michael's, Bp.'s Stortford (1882) 137 A wyndles for the pix. 1585 Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 25 A grete roppe for the wyndlas in the slayhter housse. 1603 G. Owen Pembrokeshire (1892) 89 With a wyndeles turned by fowre men they drawe vpp the coales. 1608 Relat. Trav. W. Bush B 2 b, She had twooe stronge Cables..strayned by wyndlesses. 1616 Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1848) II. 342 Ane wyndles for heising vp of stanes. 1670 Covel in Early Voy. Levant (Hakluyt Soc.) 143 Carrying out an Anchor a sterne..with the Winlace. 1743 Woodroofe in Hanway Trav. (1762) I. ii. xxiii. 101 A great sea obliged us to cut the cable at the windlass. 1789 Trans. Soc. Arts VII. 218 Anchor-stocks..supplying the place of the upper gudgeon; and in a merchant⁓ship the clamps of her windles. 1800 Weems Washington x. (1877) 129 Some seizing the ready handspikes, vault high upon the windlasses. 1822 Imison's Sci. & Art I. 56 If two men work at the end of a roller, or windlass, as in drawing up coals or ore from a mine, or water from a well. 1836 Thirlwall Greece xxvi. III. 427 A great vessel of burthen..to cover the operations of a number of parties in boats, which..forced up the piles by means of cranes or windlaces. |
¶The form
windles taken as
pl. Obs.| 1601 Holland Pliny xxxvi. xv. II. 586 To force the water..with devise of engines and windles up to the top of the hill. 1680 Lond. Gaz. No. 1526/4 The Adventure Pink,..two Decks, with a Fall where the Windles stand. |
† 2. Applied to various smaller contrivances of a similar kind: a winch used in discharging a cross-bow (
= windas 1 b) or a pistol (‘dag’); a reel on an angler's rod, or for winding yarn (
= windle n.3).
Obs.| 1481–90 Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.) 273, ix. cross⁓bowes, wyndlas. 1587 Holinshed Chron. III. 1099/2 With the windlace of his dag hanging thereon. 1588 Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc. 1861) 12 My crosbowe with the windlesse. 1669 Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 258 A very long Line wound up at the handle of your Rod on a small Winch or Windlace. 1737 Ozell Rabelais III. 236 note, A Reel or Yarn-Windless. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxviii, Two arblasts..with windlaces and quarrells. |
3. attrib., as
windlass axle,
windlass-end,
windlass-head,
windlass-pawl,
windlass rope;
windlass-bar, any of a set of bars inserted in holes in a ship's windlass, by which it is turned;
windlass-bitt,
-chock, each of the supports of a ship's windlass;
windlass-jack,
windlass-lining (see
quots.);
windlass-man, a man employed to turn a windlass.
| 1842 Loudon Suburban Hort. 157 Two *windlass axles are supported on four props. |
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. s.v., The cables [of the windlass] have three turns round this main-piece..: holes are cut for the *windlass-bars in each eighth of the squared sides. |
| 1846 A. Young Naut. Dict. 369 Iron spindles working in collars or bushes inserted in the *Windlass-bitts. |
| Ibid., *Windlass-chocks, fore-and-aft pieces of oak fitted on the deck and bolted to the beams immediately before the windlass. |
| Ibid., *Windlass-ends..are two horizontal pieces forming a continuation of the windlass outside these bitts. |
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Windlass..is composed of the carrick-heads or *windlass-heads. |
| 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., *Windlass-jack, a form of lifting-jack having a winch-handle for turning the pinion which gears into the crown-wheel. |
| 1846 A. Young Naut. Dict. 369 Pieces of hard wood, called the *Windlass⁓lining, fitted and bolted round it to preserve it from being chafed. |
| 1851 Carlyle Sterling iii. iii, Both shouted vehemently to the coadjutor at the windlass, both sprang at the basket; the *windlass man could not move it with them both. |
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. s.v., Amidships it is supported by chocks, where it is also furnished with a course of *windlass-pawls. |
| 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. xii. 81 By a *Windless Rope, and weight to sink it, he may first let down the weight. |
▪ II. † windlass, n.2 Obs. Forms: 6
wynd(e)-,
winlesse,
windlas(se, (
-laies ?),
wyndlas(s)e,
-lace, 6–7
windlace,
-lesse, 7
-lass,
winde-lase, (8
windlatch).
[Alteration of wanlace, by association with wind v.1 and perh. with prec. n.] 1. A circuit made to intercept the game in hunting (
= wanlace 1);
gen. a circuit, circuitous movement:
esp. in
phr. to fetch a windlass, to make a circuit, go round about, ‘fetch a compass’.
| 1530 Palsgr. 231 Hewar that fetteth the wyndelesse in huntyng. 1563 Golding Cæsar vii. (1565) 206 Bidding them fetche a windlasse a great waye about, and to make al to⁓ward one place. 1567 ― Ovid's Met. vii. 93 b, He runnes not forth directly out, Nor makes a windlasse ouer all the champion fieldes about. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 270, I now fetching a windlesse, that I myght better haue a shoote, was preuented with ready game. 1600 Fairfax Tasso xiv. xxxiv, The beauies faire of Shepheards daughters bold, With wanton winde laies ronne, turne, play and pas. 1602 R. Carew Cornwall 75 Sometimes a foote-man..will carry the same quite backwards, and so, at last, get to the goale by a windlace. |
2. fig. A circuitous course of action; a round-about proceeding; a crafty device (
= wanlace 3).
| a 1569 A. Kingsmill Man's Est., Godly Adv. (1574) I vij, With suche winlesses some are dryuen into the net. 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 55 And heer iz my windlesse, lyke yoor coorse as pleaz ye. 1575 Mirr. Mag., Humfrey Dk. Glouc. xlvi, Which by slye driftes, and wyndlaces aloofe, They brought about. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. i. 65. 1617 Collins Def. Bp. Ely ii. viii. 317 These were the trances, and the windlaces of the first Iesuites. 1631 [Mabbe] Celestina iv. 54 What a wind-lace hast thou fetcht, with what words hast thou come upon me? a 1734 North Exam. ii. iv. §143. (1740) 307 The former are brought forth, by a Windlatch of a Trial, to charge the latter with the foulest of Crimes. |
▪ III. † windlass, v.1 Obs. [f. windlass n.2] a. trans. (
fig.) To decoy or ensnare.
b. intr. To ‘fetch a windlass’, make a circuit;
fig. to act circuitously or craftily. Hence
windlassing vbl. n.1| a 1586 Sidney Astr. & Stella xxi, My young mind.., whom Loue doth windlas so; That mine owne writings..show My wits quicke in vaine thoughts, in vertue lame. a 1660 Hammond Serm., Ezek. xvi. 30 (1664) 12 She is not at so much leasure as to windlace, or use craft to satisfie them; she goes downright a woing. Ibid., Luke xviii. 11 131 A skilful woods-man, that by wind-lassing presently gets a shoot. |
▪ IV. ˈwindlass, v.2 [f. windlass n.1] trans. To hoist or haul with a windlass. Hence
ˈwindlassing vbl. n.2| 1834 M. Edgeworth Helen xiv, None of our windlassing will ever bring her [sc. the truth] up. 1870 Daily News 20 Jan., He was hauled into the barn and windlassed clear of the floor. 1897 Kipling Capt. Cour. ix. 203 As though the words were being windlassed out of him. |