Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for pulley

pulley

[ pool-ee ]

noun

, plural pul·leys.
  1. a wheel, with a grooved rim for carrying a line, that turns in a frame or block and serves to change the direction of or to transmit force, as when one end of the line is pulled to raise a weight at the other end: one of the simple machines.
  2. a combination of such wheels in a block, or of such wheels or blocks in a tackle, to increase the force applied.
  3. a wheel driven by or driving a belt or the like, used to deliver force to a machine, another belt, etc., at a certain speed and torque.


pulley

/ ˈpʊlɪ /

noun

  1. a wheel with a grooved rim in which a rope, chain, or belt can run in order to change the direction or point of application of a force applied to the rope, etc
  2. a number of such wheels pivoted in parallel in a block, used to raise heavy loads
  3. a wheel with a flat, convex, or grooved rim mounted on a shaft and driven by or driving a belt passing around it


pulley

/ plē /

  1. A machine consisting of a wheel over which a pulled rope or chain runs to change the direction of the pull used for lifting a load. Combinations of two or more pulleys working together reduce the force needed to lift a load.


Discover More

Other Words From

  • pulley·less adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulley1

1275–1325; Middle English poley, puly < Middle French polie Medieval Greek *polídion little pivot, equivalent to pól ( os ) pole 2 + -idion diminutive suffix

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pulley1

C14 poley, from Old French polie, from Vulgar Latin polidium (unattested), apparently from Late Greek polidion (unattested) a little pole, from Greek polos axis

Discover More

Example Sentences

So we had to have a pulley system where he was lowered on cables.

Bullock died while attempting to fix one of the presses in 1867: After it became stuck, he tried to kick a belt onto a pulley.

But she bought a small pulley as well as the ground connections which Mr. Brill had in stock.

The aeroplane had been hoisted to its elevated position by means of a stout rope passing through a pulley at the top of the pole.

Shattered as were the bows of the wreck, he had succeeded in saving the two cat-heads with their three pulley-blocks.

The gap between the sawed portions permits a pulley to be fastened on the shaft to serve as the main drive.

The motor is lined up on the base, so that its pulley wheel will run a belt on the large wheel of the roller.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


pulletpulley bone