noun
pallet
a flat blade or plate in a machine or instrument
The clockmaker examines the worn pallet in the escapement.
Etymology
The French word names a small blade or shovel. Mechanical uses preserve that flat-piece image for a plate or blade in an instrument.
More examples
- The pallet alternately catches and releases the moving teeth.
- A tiny plate called a pallet controls the mechanism's motion.
- The damaged pallet is replaced during the repair.
Forms
pallet · pallets