Definition
A hinged or pivoted finger-like component that engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel or gear, allowing motion in one direction while preventing motion in the opposite direction.
Plain English
A small lever that drops into the teeth of a wheel so the wheel can turn one way but not the other.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance descriptions for ratchet-style locks, seat adjusters, latches, starters, and other mechanical holding devices.
Derivation
From the Middle Dutch 'pal,' meaning a bar or bolt that holds something in place. The original sense — a small piece that locks something — carries directly into the mechanical meaning today.
Why Pilots Care
Pawls keep ratchet devices from slipping backward, preserving the intended position of controls or loads.
Analogy
Think of the small lever inside a socket wrench that lets the handle turn one way freely but grips firmly when turned the other way — that lever is a pawl.
Intuition Check
A pawl is not the whole latch or wheel. It is the small catch that engages the teeth or notches.
Example Sentence 1
When the pilot pulled forward sharply against the shoulder harness, the inertia reel's pawl engaged the ratchet and locked the strap in place.