Ratchet
noun
A tool used to allow motion in one direction only.
He used a ratchet to tighten the bolts on the car's wheel.
Often appears as...
- ratchet wrench
- ratchet mechanism
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To cause to rise or increase, usually gradually or step by step.
They ratchet up the intensity in the final game.
Often appears as...
- ratchet up tension
- ratchet up pressure
adjective
Low quality or unpleasant.
Her attitude is so ratchet.
Often appears as...
- ratchet girl
- ratchet behavior
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial
noun
A tool used to allow motion in one direction only.
He used a ratchet to tighten the bolts on the car's wheel.
Often appears as...
- ratchet wrench
- ratchet mechanism
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To cause to rise or increase, usually gradually or step by step.
They ratchet up the intensity in the final game.
Often appears as...
- ratchet up tension
- ratchet up pressure
adjective
Low quality or unpleasant.
Her attitude is so ratchet.
Often appears as...
- ratchet girl
- ratchet behavior
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3One-way Mechanism
Remember 'ratchet' as a device that locks movement one way, used in mechanical contexts.
To tighten the pipes, you'll need a ratchet.
Pro Tip 2/3Tool Varieties
There are different types of ratchets, like wrenches or screwdrivers, suiting various tasks.
I prefer using a ratchet wrench for these bolts.
Pro Tip 3/3Action Sound
Ratchets make a distinctive clicking sound as they turn, which can be useful in identifying the tool.
You'll hear the ratchet click when it's secure.
Pro Tip 1/3One-way Mechanism
Remember 'ratchet' as a device that locks movement one way, used in mechanical contexts.
To tighten the pipes, you'll need a ratchet.
Pro Tip 2/3Tool Varieties
There are different types of ratchets, like wrenches or screwdrivers, suiting various tasks.
I prefer using a ratchet wrench for these bolts.
Pro Tip 3/3Action Sound
Ratchets make a distinctive clicking sound as they turn, which can be useful in identifying the tool.
You'll hear the ratchet click when it's secure.
Pro Tip 1/3One-way Mechanism
Remember 'ratchet' as a device that locks movement one way, used in mechanical contexts.
To tighten the pipes, you'll need a ratchet.
Pro Tip 2/3Tool Varieties
There are different types of ratchets, like wrenches or screwdrivers, suiting various tasks.
I prefer using a ratchet wrench for these bolts.
Pro Tip 3/3Action Sound
Ratchets make a distinctive clicking sound as they turn, which can be useful in identifying the tool.
You'll hear the ratchet click when it's secure.
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Video examples
Safari Live - Day 11 PIPE...
isn't it I mean that's almost half the width of my finger that is just crazy now I know this is a primary feather because we can actually see it's very uneven either side and I was actually correct this morning I got myself all muddled so I was calling this ratchet and I was thinking no it's not the
Video examples
We need to green the...
we had hundreds of businesses and cities and states and regions and lots of countries saying okay we're gonna so we had a massive ratchet in ambition during the madrid conference the continent of europe the entire trading block one of the biggest trading economies in the world committed
Video examples
Alaskan Timelapse -...
ratchet as hard as we can down, and then we're going to run the line all the way across. The more tension the better, because we don't want the camera to sag. We want it to be taut. There we go. As you can see, one point is secure. It's not going one way or the other.
Video examples
The surprising reason...
by enabling proteins buried in the muscle fibers to lock together and ratchet towards each other, pulling the muscle tight. The energy used to power the contraction comes from a molecule called ATP. ATP also helps pump the ions back across the membrane afterward,
Video examples
What role does luck play...
is that when it comes to college admissions, it just isn't true that people get what they deserve. Some people get what they deserve, and some people don't, and that's just the way it is. When you ratchet up requirements as colleges have done,
Video examples
Reel Talk Ep. 6 - Tuna...
given me a big big time thing to foresee I can get my own boat I can achieve goals that I never thought I could it's been a big deal for me you're more immediate goal is just to kind of ratchet up the fish count right phone
Video examples
How to find a wonderful...
which is one ten-thousandth of one percent, so your chance for success is literally one in a million. I mean that's not a gamble I want to take, so let's ratchet up that reliability to 99 percent. .99 to the 130th power is
Video examples
Made in Space: 3-D...
astronaut asking for a ratchet and we we designed this ratchet from literally from nothing and had it printed in space five days later the ability to manufacture objects you
Video examples
Catch of the Week -...
job talking about big oh yes the big face of the future here man good rock your ratchet guys oh god oh god sorry buddy okay okay still on now he's right here boy right yeah
Video examples
Katie McGinty: Smart...
so let's ratchet back that air conditioning that’s otherwise blasting.” And don't worry about the upfront cost. Why? Because upgrading will generate savings
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 11 PIPE...
isn't it I mean that's almost half the width of my finger that is just crazy now I know this is a primary feather because we can actually see it's very uneven either side and I was actually correct this morning I got myself all muddled so I was calling this ratchet and I was thinking no it's not the
Video examples
We need to green the...
we had hundreds of businesses and cities and states and regions and lots of countries saying okay we're gonna so we had a massive ratchet in ambition during the madrid conference the continent of europe the entire trading block one of the biggest trading economies in the world committed
Video examples
Alaskan Timelapse -...
ratchet as hard as we can down, and then we're going to run the line all the way across. The more tension the better, because we don't want the camera to sag. We want it to be taut. There we go. As you can see, one point is secure. It's not going one way or the other.
Video examples
The surprising reason...
by enabling proteins buried in the muscle fibers to lock together and ratchet towards each other, pulling the muscle tight. The energy used to power the contraction comes from a molecule called ATP. ATP also helps pump the ions back across the membrane afterward,
Video examples
What role does luck play...
is that when it comes to college admissions, it just isn't true that people get what they deserve. Some people get what they deserve, and some people don't, and that's just the way it is. When you ratchet up requirements as colleges have done,
Video examples
Reel Talk Ep. 6 - Tuna...
given me a big big time thing to foresee I can get my own boat I can achieve goals that I never thought I could it's been a big deal for me you're more immediate goal is just to kind of ratchet up the fish count right phone
Video examples
How to find a wonderful...
which is one ten-thousandth of one percent, so your chance for success is literally one in a million. I mean that's not a gamble I want to take, so let's ratchet up that reliability to 99 percent. .99 to the 130th power is
Video examples
Made in Space: 3-D...
astronaut asking for a ratchet and we we designed this ratchet from literally from nothing and had it printed in space five days later the ability to manufacture objects you
Video examples
Catch of the Week -...
job talking about big oh yes the big face of the future here man good rock your ratchet guys oh god oh god sorry buddy okay okay still on now he's right here boy right yeah
Video examples
Katie McGinty: Smart...
so let's ratchet back that air conditioning that’s otherwise blasting.” And don't worry about the upfront cost. Why? Because upgrading will generate savings
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tom Hanks
American Actor
By and large, the making of motion pictures is all about, 'Let's ratchet it up.' And I always think, 'We don't need to ratchet this up.' If you do, don't call it 'Captain Phillips' or 'The Maersk Alabama.' Call it something else, and then you have carte blanche to do anything, down to sea serpents and aliens.
Quote examples
Tom Stoppard
English Dramatist
When you try to grasp the way the Western world is going, you see that we are on a ratchet towards a surveillance state, which is coming to include the whole population in its surveillance. This is our reward for accepting the restraints on the way we live now.
Quote examples
Stephanie Coontz
American Author
To my mind, it is better to have regrets about the good aspects of your former marriage because you were able to work past some of your accumulated resentments than to have no regrets because you had to ratchet up the hostility to get out in the first place.
Quote examples
Omarion
American Singer
To show a different side on 'Love & Hip Hop' and bring some validity to it and not just be ratchet, messy or whatever the case may be, it was cool to be that guy, not just from a fan standpoint but an artist standpoint.
Quote examples
Dan Quinn
American Coach
Every game, we're going to go for it, so when we get into playoff time, it's not like, 'You've really got to ratchet it up. You've really got to do something different.' Then what have I been doing the whole time?
Quote examples
Mustard
American Musician
When we came out, they just labelled us 'ratchet music' cos we said 'ratchet' a lot. Ratchet means that's it's ghetto, but I would just call the music we're making just good music.
Quote examples
Raheem DeVaughn
American Musician
I like to think that everything I do is tastefully done and doesn't come off necessarily like ratchet or something that tears women down. I like to make tasteful, seductive music.
Quote examples
Lil Uzi Vert
American Rapper
I like a lot of ratchet, trap music. Definitely 21 Savage. We need some music like that. ManMan Savage. A lot of the Atlanta scene. But Philly, too.
Quote examples
Mike Lee
American Politician
When you have a country that's been accustomed to government spending at a certain level, it is really hard to ratchet it back.
Quote examples
Lakeith Stanfield
American Actor
I love 'Watch the Throne,' because Kanye was acting so ratchet.
Quote examples
Tom Hanks
American Actor
By and large, the making of motion pictures is all about, 'Let's ratchet it up.' And I always think, 'We don't need to ratchet this up.' If you do, don't call it 'Captain Phillips' or 'The Maersk Alabama.' Call it something else, and then you have carte blanche to do anything, down to sea serpents and aliens.
Quote examples
Tom Stoppard
English Dramatist
When you try to grasp the way the Western world is going, you see that we are on a ratchet towards a surveillance state, which is coming to include the whole population in its surveillance. This is our reward for accepting the restraints on the way we live now.
Quote examples
Stephanie Coontz
American Author
To my mind, it is better to have regrets about the good aspects of your former marriage because you were able to work past some of your accumulated resentments than to have no regrets because you had to ratchet up the hostility to get out in the first place.
Quote examples
Omarion
American Singer
To show a different side on 'Love & Hip Hop' and bring some validity to it and not just be ratchet, messy or whatever the case may be, it was cool to be that guy, not just from a fan standpoint but an artist standpoint.
Quote examples
Dan Quinn
American Coach
Every game, we're going to go for it, so when we get into playoff time, it's not like, 'You've really got to ratchet it up. You've really got to do something different.' Then what have I been doing the whole time?
Quote examples
Mustard
American Musician
When we came out, they just labelled us 'ratchet music' cos we said 'ratchet' a lot. Ratchet means that's it's ghetto, but I would just call the music we're making just good music.
Quote examples
Raheem DeVaughn
American Musician
I like to think that everything I do is tastefully done and doesn't come off necessarily like ratchet or something that tears women down. I like to make tasteful, seductive music.
Quote examples
Lil Uzi Vert
American Rapper
I like a lot of ratchet, trap music. Definitely 21 Savage. We need some music like that. ManMan Savage. A lot of the Atlanta scene. But Philly, too.
Quote examples
Mike Lee
American Politician
When you have a country that's been accustomed to government spending at a certain level, it is really hard to ratchet it back.
Quote examples
Lakeith Stanfield
American Actor
I love 'Watch the Throne,' because Kanye was acting so ratchet.
Example 1 of 10
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