Definition of "ratch" []

• A ratchet wheel; a toothed wheel engaging a detent or pawl. (noun)

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• "The day gathers pace at sunset with the mordant dance-punk of LCD Soundsystem, whose best songs steadily ratch up the intensity."
• "Just listened to Nadine Dorris ratch the whole, 'terror in their eyes' shtick up to No 11."
• "So, do you expect the rhetoric to really ratch it up especially that tough talk as they go into Super Tuesday so someone can really pull ahead."