windlass

Meanings

Noun

• Any of various forms of winch, in which a rope or cable is wound around a cylinder, used for lifting heavy weights
• A winding and circuitous way; a roundabout course.
• An apparatus resembling a winch or windlass, for bending the bow of an arblast, or crossbow.

Verb

• To raise with, or as if with, a windlass; to use a windlass.
• To take a roundabout course; to work warily or by indirect means.

Origin

• From Middle English wyndlas, wyndelas, wyndlasse, wyndelasse, probably an alteration (due to Middle English windel) of Middle English windas, wyndas, wyndace, from Anglo-Norman windase, windeis and Old Northern French windas (compare Old French guindas, Medieval Latin windasius, windasa), from Old Norse vindáss, from vinda + áss. Compare Icelandic vindilass.