Definition

1. Noun:
   • A saw used with one hand for cutting wood: A hand saw is a cutting tool consisting of a toothed metal blade, operated manually by one hand, designed primarily for cutting wood or wood products.

Usage

• The term "hand saw" refers specifically to the manual, one-handed tool. It distinguishes this tool from larger, two-person saws (like a crosscut saw) or powered saws (like a circular saw).
• It is typically used in contexts involving carpentry, woodworking, DIY projects, or general repair.

Examples

• Noun:
  • He used a hand saw to cut the plank to the correct length.
  • A basic toolkit should include a hammer, a screwdriver, and a hand saw.
  • The carpenter selected a fine-toothed hand saw for the detailed trim work.

Advanced Usage

• "to be handy with a hand saw": to be skilled at using a hand saw.
  • My grandfather was always handy with a hand saw and could build anything from scrap wood.

Variants and Related Words

• Handsaw: An alternative, closed spelling of the same tool.
• Backsaw: A type of hand saw with a stiffening rib on the edge opposite the cutting edge, often used in joinery.
• Coping saw: A type of hand saw with a very thin blade stretched in a frame, used for intricate cutting.
• Hacksaw: A hand saw with a fine-toothed blade set in a frame, used for cutting metal, not wood. (This is a different, though related, tool category).

Synonyms

• Manual saw: A more general term emphasizing non-powered operation.
• Wood saw: A term describing the tool's primary function rather than its method of operation.

Related Phrases

• "To saw by hand": The action performed using a hand saw.
  • Before electric tools, carpenters had to saw all their lumber by hand.

Noun

1. a saw used with one hand for cutting wood