ratchets

Noun

ratchet (plural ratchets)

1. A pawl, click, or detent for holding or propelling a ratchet wheel, or ratch, etc.
2. A mechanism composed of a ratchet wheel, or ratch and pawl.
3. A ratchet wrench.
4. (broadly) A procedure or regulation that goes in one direction, usually up.
   • The threat of terrorism to the British lies in the overreaction to it of British governments. Each one in turn clicks up the ratchet of surveillance, intrusion and security. Each one diminishes liberty.2012 December 14, Simon Jenkins, “We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 2, page 23
5. A mechanism for generating a new unique key for each message by moving forward in a sequence.
6. A noisemaker or musical instrument where sound is generated by a board striking against a rotating gear.
   • Ahead of them a group of mandibulous sales men had set up their combustion cups and incendiary ratchets to demonstrate their wares to whatever officers might come by.2013, Charles Morgan, Youthful Folly, →ISBN, page 94

See all 10 meanings of ratchet