saw
saw Lexical Profile
saw Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A hand tool or power tool featuring a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge, used to cut through solid materials such as wood, metal, or stone.
"The carpenter used a circular saw to quickly trim the wooden planks for the new floor."
A well-known traditional saying, maxim, or proverb that expresses a common truth or piece of wisdom.
"The politician frequently relied on the old saw that a rising tide lifts all boats."
• verb
To cut, divide, or shape a material using a saw.
"They had to saw through the thick branch that had fallen across the driveway during the storm."
To make rapid, repetitive back-and-forth motions resembling the action of cutting with a hand saw.
"The enthusiastic violinist began to saw away at the strings during the fast tempo passage."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word 'saw' functions as a base noun (a cutting tool or a proverb) and a verb (to cut with a tool), but is most frequently encountered in modern English as the irregular past tense of the verb 'see'.
• Rhymes for saw
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English 'saga' or 'sagu' (a cutting tool), related to Latin 'secare' (to cut). The meaning 'a saying' comes from Old English 'sagu' (a statement or tale), related to the verb 'say'. As a past tense, it stems from Old English 'seah' (past tense of 'seon', to see).