OED definitions
ratchet--
a. intr. To move by means of a ratchet. Also transf. and fig.
1881 YOUNG Every Man his own Mechanic §270. 103 The angular borer turning clear around without stopping to ratchet. 1977 Time 3 Jan. 44/3 The signal, according to some radio operators who have heard it ratcheting over their headsets, sounds like a ‘buzzsaw’ or ‘the whirring of helicopter blades’. 1977 Rolling Stone 16 June 36/1 The movie director, age 34, spirals, ratchets, thrusts his chin like Mussolini.
b. trans. To move (something) up as by a ratchet. Cf. ratchet effect s.v. RATCHET n. 5.
1977 R. JENKINS Europe's Present Challenge & Future Opportunity (Jean Monnet Lect.) 8 Floating exchange rates transmit violent and sudden inflationary impulses... Each new impulse ratchets up the inflationary process. 1979 Daily Tel. 9 Aug. 2/7 We are quite clear that the union movement has not been responsible for ratcheting up inflation.
ADDITIONS SERIES 1993
[b.] For def. read: To move (something) with, or as with, a ratchet. Freq. const. up. (Earlier and later examples.)
1973 T. PYNCHON Gravity's Rainbow II. 193 But the clock over the bar only clicks once, then presently again, ratcheting time minutewise into their past. 1981 Times 18 Apr. 11/1 The spring detent, a small spring which ratchets the teeth of a wheel. 1988 New Scientist 17 Mar. 29/1 He said: Maybe we are ratcheting ourselves to a new warmer climate.
a. intr. To move by means of a ratchet. Also transf. and fig.
1881 YOUNG Every Man his own Mechanic §270. 103 The angular borer turning clear around without stopping to ratchet. 1977 Time 3 Jan. 44/3 The signal, according to some radio operators who have heard it ratcheting over their headsets, sounds like a ‘buzzsaw’ or ‘the whirring of helicopter blades’. 1977 Rolling Stone 16 June 36/1 The movie director, age 34, spirals, ratchets, thrusts his chin like Mussolini.
b. trans. To move (something) up as by a ratchet. Cf. ratchet effect s.v. RATCHET n. 5.
1977 R. JENKINS Europe's Present Challenge & Future Opportunity (Jean Monnet Lect.) 8 Floating exchange rates transmit violent and sudden inflationary impulses... Each new impulse ratchets up the inflationary process. 1979 Daily Tel. 9 Aug. 2/7 We are quite clear that the union movement has not been responsible for ratcheting up inflation.
ADDITIONS SERIES 1993
[b.] For def. read: To move (something) with, or as with, a ratchet. Freq. const. up. (Earlier and later examples.)
1973 T. PYNCHON Gravity's Rainbow II. 193 But the clock over the bar only clicks once, then presently again, ratcheting time minutewise into their past. 1981 Times 18 Apr. 11/1 The spring detent, a small spring which ratchets the teeth of a wheel. 1988 New Scientist 17 Mar. 29/1 He said: Maybe we are ratcheting ourselves to a new warmer climate.
posted by gradylove at 12:51 PM
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