How to pronounce capstan
American English pronunciation
KAP-stun
- IPA
- /ˈkæpstən/
- Syllables
- KAP · stun (2 syllables, stress on the 1st)
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What capstan means
An upright drum on a ship that is turned to pull in heavy ropes
In a sentence: The sailors pushed the bars of the capstan around and around to raise the anchor.
Where it comes from: It comes from an old Spanish or southern French word for a pulley rope. That word goes back to the Latin word for a halter, a rope for leading a horse.
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