rolling hitch

9.2

A knot that ties a rope to a pole or another rope to stop it sliding one way

noun

Specialized

: nudo de remolque

Sailors often use a rolling hitch to prevent slipping along another rope.

Examples

To secure the line to the pole, she tied a rolling hitch.
He tied a rolling hitch to secure the sail.
Learning the rolling hitch is essential for anyone interested in sailing knots.
The rolling hitch is essential for sailing.
To secure the sail, he tied a rolling hitch around the mast.
The fisherman used a rolling hitch to attach the net to the boat's post.
In sailing, a rolling hitch is useful for fastening a line to another rope.

Surface Forms

rolling hitch singular

rolling hitches plural

Morphology

roll + hitch

A B1 learner who knows 'roll/rolling' and 'hitch' would readily infer this is a type of knot (hitch) associated with 'rolling', so the basic category is compositional. However, the precise functional property—that it specifically resists movement in one direction—is technical and not directly predictable from 'rolling', so full meaning requires domain knowledge or exposure.

Etymology

The name rolling hitch comes from how the knot wraps: the rope rolling around a pole or another rope makes the knot grip, and the word hitch means a small tie. Because it wraps and pulls tight in one direction, it's used to 'prevent slipping' along a rope or pole.