handsaw
/'hændsɔ:/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A hand-operated saw: A handsaw is a cutting tool designed for use with one hand, typically used for cutting wood or other materials by pushing and pulling the blade across the surface.
Usage
- A handsaw is a basic tool for carpentry and woodworking. It is manually operated, distinguishing it from powered saws. It is used for making straight or curved cuts in wood.
Examples
- Noun:
- He used a handsaw to cut the wooden plank to the correct length.
- A traditional handsaw is an essential tool in any carpenter's toolbox.
- For small projects, a handsaw is often more convenient than an electric saw.
Advanced Usage
- "To be a handsaw" (metaphorical): While not a common idiom, in very specific contexts (like a riddle or wordplay), "handsaw" can be used metaphorically. For example, in Shakespeare's , Hamlet says, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw." Here, "handsaw" is argued by some scholars to be a corruption of "heronshaw" (a heron), making it part of a bird-related contrast, not a direct reference to the tool. This is an advanced literary allusion.
Variants and Related Words
- Backsaw (n): A type of handsaw with a stiffening rib on the edge opposite the cutting edge, often used in joinery.
- Coping saw (n): A type of handsaw with a very thin blade stretched in a frame, used for intricate curved cuts.
- Hacksaw (n): A handsaw with a fine-toothed blade set in a frame, typically used for cutting metal.
- Panel saw (n): A type of handsaw with a relatively short, wide blade for cutting large panels of wood.
Synonyms
- Manual saw: A saw operated by hand power.
- Tenon saw: A specific type of backsaw used for cutting tenons.
- Ripsaw: A handsaw designed for cutting wood along the grain.
Antonyms
- Power saw: A saw that uses an electric motor or engine for operation (e.g., circular saw, jigsaw).
- Bandsaw: A powered saw with a continuous band of toothed metal stretched between wheels.
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Handsaw blade: The toothed metal part of the handsaw that does the cutting.
- Handsaw handle: The part of the saw gripped by the user's hand.
Noun
- a saw used with one hand for cutting wood