Definition

1. Noun:

   • A hand tool or power tool with a toothed metal blade or disk: A "saw" is a tool used for cutting hard materials like wood or metal, using a toothed edge to make a cut.
   • A concise, common saying expressing a general truth or observation: A "saw" is a proverb or maxim, often passed down through tradition.

2. Verb:

   • To cut or divide with a saw: The action of using a saw tool to cut something.
   • To make motions as if using a saw; to move back and forth: To move something repeatedly in a back-and-forth motion resembling the action of sawing.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Tool):
  • He used a hand saw to cut the plank.
  • The carpenter started the circular saw.
• Noun (Saying):
  • "A stitch in time saves nine" is an old saw about prevention.
• Verb (To cut):
  • She sawed through the thick branch.
  • We need to saw this timber into smaller pieces.
• Verb (To move back and forth):
  • The violinist sawed away at his instrument. (This means he played vigorously, not that he cut it.)

Advanced Usage

• "saw the air": To gesture or wave one's arms vigorously.
  • The excited speaker sawed the air to emphasize his points.
• "saw wood": (Informal, chiefly US) To sleep soundly or snore.
  • After the long hike, he went to bed and sawed wood all night.

Variants and Related Words

• Sawyer (n): A person whose job is to saw wood.
• Sawtooth (adj/n): Having a shape or pattern resembling the teeth of a saw.
• Sawmill (n): A factory where logs are sawn into lumber.
• Jigsaw (n): A saw with a fine blade for cutting curves.
• Hacksaw (n): A saw with a fine-toothed blade in a frame, used for cutting metal.

Synonyms

• Noun (Tool): Cutter.
• Noun (Saying): Proverb, adage, maxim, aphorism.
• Verb (To cut): Cut, sever.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Saw off: To remove something by sawing.
  • He sawed off the damaged part of the post.
• Saw up: To cut something into pieces with a saw.
  • We sawed up the old tree for firewood.
• Saw away (at): To continue sawing something persistently.
  • He was sawing away at the log for hours.

Related Idioms

• Run like a well-oiled saw: (Less common) To operate very smoothly and efficiently.
• Old saw: A familiar or trite proverb.
  • He just repeated the same old saw about early birds and worms.

Noun

1. a power tool for cutting wood
2. hand tool having a toothed blade for cutting
3. a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people

Verb

1. cut with a saw
   • saw wood for the fireplace