Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A machine consisting of a combination of pulleys, used for raising heavy weights: a term formerly used by writers on mechanics.
- noun An apparatus of the same character formerly used in surgery to reduce dislocations.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Surg.) A machine consisting of many pulleys; specifically, an apparatus formerly used for reducing luxations.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
machine consisting of many pulleys - noun surgical A machine of many
pulleys ,formerly used to reducedislocation - noun mechanics A
windlass with manypulleys andtruckles
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From Latin polyspaston ("hoisting-tackle with many pulleys"), from Ancient Greek πολύσπαστον (poluspaston, "compound pulley")
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Examples
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This kind of machine is called a polyspast, because of the many revolving sheaves to which its dexterity and despatch are due.
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