saw

verb

sawed ˈsȯd  ; sawed or sawn ˈsȯn  ; sawing ˈsȯ(-)iŋ 

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

sawer

ˈsȯ(-ə)r 

noun

Examples of saw in a Sentence

He sawed the boards in half.

This blade is too dull for sawing.

Recent Examples on the Web

The game had see-sawed magnificently and the more functional Italians went on to match Brazil’s then-record three World Cup wins by beating Poland in the semi-finals and West Germany in the final, with Rossi scoring three more times to pick up the Golden Boot. —Will Jeanes, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Progress towards a deal has see-sawed since the two parties agreed to a cease-fire on April 8, with both sides continuing to trade low-level hostilities and level new threats. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 May 2026

Seismic shake-ups have taken place across the global trade landscape over the past year, with geopolitics and see-sawing tariff policy leading to consequences that few could have predicted. —Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 4 May 2026

Jordan Walker, sawed off by a 96 mph sinker, lined out softly. —Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sawen, derivative of sawe saw entry 2

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing saw

• band saw
• bow saw
• buzz saw
• chain saw
• circular saw
• coping saw
• crosscut saw
• keyhole saw
• musical saw
• pit saw
• run/walk into a buzz saw
• saber saw
• saw at
• saw down
• saw grass
• saw palmetto
• saw set
• saw-toothed
• saw up
• saw-whet owl
• scroll saw
• (the) last someone saw

Rhymes for saw

• aah
• ah
• ahh
• aw
• awe
• bah
• blah
• bra
• caw
• claw
• craw
• daw

Kids Definition

saw

1 of 4

past of see

saw

2 of 4 noun

ˈsȯ 

: a hand or power tool or a machine used to cut hard material and equipped usually with a tooth-edged blade

saw

3 of 4 verb

sawed ˈsȯd  ; sawed or sawn ˈsȯn  ; sawing ˈsȯ(-)iŋ 

: to cut or shape with a saw

saw

4 of 4 noun

: a common saying : proverb

Medical Definition

saw

1 of 2

past of see

saw

2 of 2 noun

ˈsȯ 

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