saw Hear it!

saw¹ Definition

saw (sô)

noun

    1. a cutting tool, of various shapes and sizes and worked by hand or machinery, consisting essentially of a thin blade or disk of metal, usually steel, the edge of which is a series of sharp teeth
    2. any of various tools or devices somewhat like this but with a sharp edge instead of teeth
  2. a machine for operating a saw or saws

Etymology: ME sawe < OE sagu, akin to Ger säge, Du zaag < IE base *sek-, to cut, > L secare, to cut, OE seax, knife

transitive verb sawed, sawed or Chiefly Brit.sawn, saw′·ing

  1. to cut or divide with a saw
  2. to shape or form with a saw
  3. to make sawlike cutting motions through (the air, etc.)
  4. to operate or produce with a to-and-fro motion suggestive of that used in working a saw to saw a knife through meat, to saw a tune on a fiddle

intransitive verb

  1. to cut with or as with a saw or as a saw does
  2. to be cut with a saw wood that saws easily
  3. to make sawlike cutting motions

saw¹ Related Forms

saw′er noun

saw¹ Idioms

saw wood

☆

Slang to snore or sleep

saw² Definition

saw (sô)

noun

an old saying, often repeated; maxim; proverb

Etymology: ME sawe < OE sagu: see say

saw³ Definition

saw (sô)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

see

saw Synonyms

saw

n.

Types of saws include: annular, circular, concave, crown, mill, ice, crosscut, band, rip, hand, panel, pruning, whip, wood, buck, keyhole, back, butcher's, hack, double, jig, table, chain, power, trephine;

saw Usage Examples

Object

  • softwood: The Giannis D set sail from Croatia with a cargo of sawn softwood destined for Jeddah.
  • timber: To start with you need to use treated sawn timber from a builders merchant.
  • plank: He chops wood and saws the planks and he is a handsome man but he is dead.
  • wood: An oaky wine will usually taste and smell of freshly sawn wood, or may have sweet vanilla flavors.

Converse of object

  • prune: Click here for more details on the Gerber folding pruning saw or just add to cart to buy online now.
  • sharpen: Saw set, to set teeth when sharpening saws.

Adjective modifier

  • circular: There is also a small circular saw which is in the blood.
  • crosscut: Prior to the use of chainsaws, volunteers had to use two handled crosscut saws.
  • piercing: The kit had tanks 3mm too long, which were rectified with the piercing saw.
  • wise: But in the case of the looming American war against Iraq, another wise saw needs to be borne in mind.
  • electric: She was armed with only an electric chain saw, which was not plugged in.

Modifies a noun

  • palmetto: What about the saw palmetto products sold in Europe?
  • blade: Ideally you should have an eye either side of the saw blade.
  • mill: Sam started to work at ten years old; at fourteen he was working in a saw mill twelve hours a day.
  • bench: On the right is James V Dunlop, aged about 15, his hand resting on a circular saw bench.
  • dust: It is manufactured from saw dust, wood chips, shaving or bark.

Modifying Another Word

asunder: The coffins were broke open with pickaxes or sawn asunder, and the bones were scattered.

Noun used with modifier

  • bow: Larger saws: For example coping saws and bow saws should not be used in class.
  • chain: She was armed with only an electric chain saw, which was not plugged in.

Preposition: off

shotgun: The robberies were carried out in a clinical, ruthless fashion, using revolvers and sawn off shotguns.

Browse dictionary entries near saw

  1. ‹ savvy
  2. ‹ Savoyard
  3. ‹ savoy
  4. ‹ savory
  5. ‹ savor
  6. ‹ Savonarola
  7. ‹ savoir-vivre
  8. ‹ savoir-faire
  9. ‹ Savoie
  10. ‹ savior
  1. saw grass ›
  2. saw log ›
  3. saw palmetto ›
  4. saw set ›
  5. saw-toothed ›
  6. saw-whet owl ›
  7. Sawatch Mountains ›
  8. sawbones ›
  9. sawbuck ›
  10. sawdust ›