tools of the/one's trade
idiom
: a set of tools or skills that are necessary for a particular kind of job or work
She showed me her paints, brushes, and the other tools of her trade.
Examples of tools of the/one's trade in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While pickup trucks were once body-on-frame tools of the trade defined by their max tow ratings and engine output, today's full-size pickups are often judged by their luxury-grade interiors and tech features.
—
Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2021
Crisp and Clear Speech, Always Professional-grade recording equipment and editing software may not be available to everyone, but you can get set up with the basic tools of the trade for a few hundred dollars.
—Zoe Pickburn, Wired, 13 Sep. 2021
Are there certain tools of the trade that forensic anthropologists use that are key to doing your work?
—Time, 27 May 2021
The only sure winners in arms races are the corporations that supply the tools of the trade.
—The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Her group helps to destigmatize women’s roles in every facet of the business and train those that wish to advance in tech and production work, with AI becoming more advanced and tools of the trade updating rapidly.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 2 Dec. 2023
For that film, Mann had a criminal teach Caan the tools of the trade.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 23 Aug. 2023
Team members and parents said among the items were cash, a couple of players’ backpacks and head coach Curtis Nayokpuk’s bag that included some tools of the trade like a clipboard.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Mar. 2023
The tools of the trade are fairly standard: A variety of specialized rakes, shovels and hoes to clear the brush where needed and a drip torch to provide the flame.
—Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 12 Feb. 2023
Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2021
Crisp and Clear Speech, Always Professional-grade recording equipment and editing software may not be available to everyone, but you can get set up with the basic tools of the trade for a few hundred dollars.
—Zoe Pickburn, Wired, 13 Sep. 2021
Are there certain tools of the trade that forensic anthropologists use that are key to doing your work?
—Time, 27 May 2021
The only sure winners in arms races are the corporations that supply the tools of the trade.
—The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Her group helps to destigmatize women’s roles in every facet of the business and train those that wish to advance in tech and production work, with AI becoming more advanced and tools of the trade updating rapidly.
—Holly Jones, Variety, 2 Dec. 2023
For that film, Mann had a criminal teach Caan the tools of the trade.
—Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 23 Aug. 2023
Team members and parents said among the items were cash, a couple of players’ backpacks and head coach Curtis Nayokpuk’s bag that included some tools of the trade like a clipboard.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Mar. 2023
The tools of the trade are fairly standard: A variety of specialized rakes, shovels and hoes to clear the brush where needed and a drip torch to provide the flame.
—Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 12 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tools of the/one's trade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tools of the/one's trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tools%20of%20the%2Fone%27s%20trade. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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