- ratchet, rachet, ratch - mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction
--1 is a kind of mechanical device
--1 is a part of spiral ratchet screwdriver, ratchet screwdriver
--1 has parts: pawl, detent, click, dog; ratchet wheelDerived form: verb ratchet1