saw

¹saw

Definition of SAW

past of see

²saw

noun \ˈsȯ\

Definition of SAW

: a hand or power tool or a machine used to cut hard material (as wood, metal, or bone) and equipped usually with a toothed blade or disk

— saw·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Origin of SAW

Middle English sawe, from Old English sagu; akin to Old High German sega saw, Latin secare to cut

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

Rhymes with SAW

aw, awe, blaw, braw, ca, caw, chaw, claw, craw, daw, draw, flaw, gnaw, haw, jaw, la, law, maw, pa, paw, pshaw, Ra, rah, raw, shah, shaw, slaw, spa, squaw, straw, tau, taw, thaw, yaw

³saw

verb

sawed \ˈsȯd\ sawed or sawn \ˈsȯn\ saw·ing \ˈsȯ(-)iŋ\

Definition of SAW

transitive verb

1

: to cut with a saw

2

: to produce or form by cutting with a saw

3

: to slash as though with a saw

intransitive verb

1

a : to use a saw

b : to cut with or as if with a saw

2

: to undergo cutting with a saw

3

: to make motions as though using a saw <sawed at the reins>

— saw·er \ˈsȯ(-ə)r\ noun

Examples of SAW

1. He sawed the boards in half.
2. This blade is too dull for sawing.

First Known Use of SAW

13th century

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

⁴saw

noun

Definition of SAW

: maxim, proverb

Origin of SAW

Middle English sawe, from Old English sagu discourse; akin to Old High German & Old Norse saga tale, Old English secgan to say — more at say

First Known Use: before 12th century

saw

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Tool for cutting solid materials to prescribed lengths or shapes. Most saws take the form of a thin metal strip with teeth on one edge or a thin metal disk with teeth on the edge. The teeth are usually set to alternate sides so that the kerf (groove) cut by the saw is wider than the thickness of the saw; the saw blade can thus move freely in the groove without binding. Thin-strip saws are used in various ways in both hand and machine operations; circular, or disk, saws are always machine powered (see sawing machine, machine tool).