Awl definition
A pointed tool for making holes, as in wood or leather.
noun
A small, pointed tool for making holes in wood, leather, etc.
noun
The definition of an awl is a small tool with a sharp point that is used to punch holes in leather and wood.
A person using a tool to pierce holes in a belt is an example of a person using an awl.
noun
A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.
noun
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Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
awl
Plural:
awlsOrigin of awl
- Middle English al, aul from Old English æl German Ahle awl and Sanskrit ārā goad, awl
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English aul, alle, al, from Old English æl, from Proto-Germanic *ēlō (compare East Frisian älst, Dutch aal, German Ahle), from Proto-Indo-European *Hóleh₂ (compare Khotanese aiysna, Sanskrit अरा (árā))
From Wiktionary