ratchet
ra chuht
- n mechanical device consisting of a toothed wheel or rack engaged with a pawl that permits it to move in only one direction
- v move by degrees in one direction only
a ratcheting lopping tool
- Rather, they were learning to ratchet up their anger and yet keep it secret from everyone else -- until the day they had to turn it on full blast.
- And if that law were to be invalidated, California officials will face yet a new challenge: finding other ways to ratchet back emissions to meet the new overall limits it has just .
- So, we have to ratchet up the economic pressures on the Iranians.