snatch block
- noun
- Specialized
:
bloque de gancho
- The snatch block is essential for lifting heavy loads.
Examples
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The mechanic attached a snatch block to the tree to redirect the winch line.
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Before lifting the load, ensure the snatch block is correctly closed and locked.
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Whenever a change of direction was needed, they used a snatch block for the heavy lifting.
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Many sailors rely on a snatch block for efficient rigging.
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To lift the heavy load more easily, we attached the crane's cable to a snatch block.
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The boat was anchored using a snatch block to create a secure pulley system.
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He used a snatch block to change the direction of the rope when hoisting the fallen tree.
Synonyms
15
6.8
A wheel with a groove that a rope runs through
A wheel with a groove that a rope runs in to lift things or change the rope's direction
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'block' correctly cues a pulley and 'snatch' (to grab) gives a partial image of a pulley that 'takes' or 'grabs' the rope, so there is a compositional clue. However, the precise technical sense — a pulley with an opening to receive the standing part or bight without threading the end — is specialised and not predictable from the constituents alone for a B1 learner, so prior technical exposure is needed.
Etymology
Snatch block comes from a pulley that can be opened so you can 'snatch' the rope into it without feeding the rope end through. The words snatch, meaning 'to grab quickly', and block, meaning the pulley, explain why the term means a pulley that opens to take a rope and lets you change the rope's direction easily.