/ Dictionary / Index C capstan: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: cap•stan Pronunciation: (kap'stun, -stan), [key] — n. any of various windlasses, rotated in a horizontal plane by hand or machinery, for winding in ropes, cables, etc. a rotating spindle or shaft, powered by an electric motor, that transports magnetic tape past the heads of a tape recorder at a constant speed. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: capstan (Thesaurus) cap spinning capstan bar Related Content Daily Word Quiz: rustic Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language