CAPSTAN


Meaning of CAPSTAN in English

cap ‧ stan /ˈkæpstən/ BrE AmE noun [countable]

[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old Provençal ; Origin: cabestan , from cabestre 'rope for leading an animal' , probably from Latin capere 'to take, hold' ]

a round machine shaped like a drum, used to wind up a rope that pulls or lifts heavy objects

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.