gavelock

Noun

(plural gavelocks)

(UK, Scotland, dialect) An iron crow or lever.

Origin

From Middle English gavelock, from Old English gafeluc (“spear, javelin”), from gafel (“fork”) + -uc (diminutive suffix); compare Icelandic gaflok, Middle High German, Old French gavelot, glavelot, French javelot, Irish gabhla spear, Welsh gaflach fork, dart, English glave, gaff.