(nautical) A vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a spindle, used to apply force to ropes, cables, etc. It is typically surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for levers used to turn it.
Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.
(electronics) A rotating spindle used to move recording tape through the mechanism of a tape recorder.
Derived terms
Derived terms
capstan bar - one of the long bars or levers by which the capstan is worked; a handspike.