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Yawl vs Pawl - What's the difference?

yawl | pawl |

As nouns the difference between yawl and pawl

is that yawl is a small ship's boat, usually rowed by four or six oars while pawl is a pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (eg on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively to move the wheel in one direction.

As verbs the difference between yawl and pawl

is that yawl is to cry out; to howl; while pawl is to stop with a pawl.

yawl

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A small ship's boat, usually rowed by four or six oars.
  • A fore and aft rigged sailing vessel with two masts, main and mizzen, the mizzen stepped abaft the rudder post.
  • Verb

    (head)
  • To cry out; to howl;
  • ----

    pawl

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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 to move the wheel in one direction.
  • * 1994 , Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing :
  • The nails in the rim of the wheel went ratcheting over the leather pawl and the wheel slowed and came to a stop and the woman turned to the crowd and smiled.
  • * 1910 , Victor Appleton, Tom Swift and his Motorcycle
  • A pawl is a sort of catch that fits into a ratchet wheel and pushes it around, or it may be used as a catch to prevent the backward motion of a windlass or the wheel on a derrick.

    Derived terms

    * pawl bitt * pawl rim

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To stop with a pawl.
  • Derived terms

    * pawl the capstan