Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word capstan. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word capstan, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say capstan in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word capstan you have here. The definition of the word capstan will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcapstan, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
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.