The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pawl \Pawl\, v. t.
   To stop with a pawl; to drop the pawls off.
   [1913 Webster]

   To pawl the capstan. See under Capstan.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Pawl \Pawl\, n. [W. pawl a pole, a stake. Cf. Pole a stake.]
   (Mach.)
   A pivoted tongue, or sliding bolt, on one part of a machine,
   adapted to fall into notches, or interdental spaces, on
   another part, as a ratchet wheel, in such a manner as to
   permit motion in one direction and prevent it in the reverse,
   as in a windlass; a catch, click, or detent. See Illust. of
   Ratchet Wheel. [Written also paul, or pall.]
   [1913 Webster]

   Pawl bitt (Naut.), a heavy timber, set abaft the windlass,
      to receive the strain of the pawls.

   Pawl rim or Pawl ring (Naut.), a stationary metallic ring
      surrounding the base of a capstan, having notches for the
      pawls to catch in.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

pawl
    n 1: a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move
         a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward [syn:
         pawl, detent, click, dog]