Capstan

to pawl the capstan

to rig the capstan

to surge the capstan

"Man the capstan! Blood and thunder!—jump!"—was the next command, and the crew sprang for the handspikes.

We toiled over the capstan, and late in the afternoon slipped out of the harbour.

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.