Forms: 5 wynlas(s)e, wyndelas, 5–6 wyndles, 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 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 sb.3). Obs.
1481–90. Howard Househ. Bks. (Roxb.), 273. ix. crossbowes, 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, -end, -head, -pawl, 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.
