a pivoted curved bar or lever whose free end engages with the teeth of a cogwheel or ratchet so that the wheel or ratchet can only turn or move one way (防逆转的)棘爪,推爪 ■each of a set of short stout bars that engage with the whelps and prevent a capstan, windlass, or winch from recoiling (防止绞盘或起锚机逆转的)掣转杆
语源
early 17th cent.: perhaps from Low German and Dutch pal (related to pal 'fixed')