Saw word meaning and definition

[noun] a power tool for cutting wood
[noun] hand tool having a toothed blade for cutting
[noun] a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
[verb] cut with a saw; "saw wood for the fireplace"

\Saw\ (s[add]), imp. of {See}.
\Saw\, n. [OE. sawe, AS. sagu; akin to secgan to say. See {Say}, v. t. and cf. {Saga}.] 1. Something said; speech; discourse. [Obs.] ``To hearken all his sawe.'' --Chaucer. 2. A saying; a proverb; a maxim. His champions are the prophets and apostles, His weapons holy saws of sacred writ. --Shak. 3. Dictate; command; decree. [Obs.] [Love] rules the creatures by his powerful saw. --Spenser.
\Saw\, n. [OE. sawe, AS. sage; akin to D. zaag, G. s["a]ge, OHG. sega, saga, Dan. sav, Sw. s[*a]g, Icel. s["o]g, L. secare to cut, securis ax, secula sickle. Cf. {Scythe}, {Sickle}, {Section}, {Sedge}.] An instrument for cutting or dividing substances, as wood, iron, etc., consisting of a thin blade, or plate, of steel, with a series of sharp teeth on the edge, which remove successive portions of the material by cutting and tearing. Note: Saw is frequently used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound. {Band saw}, {Crosscut saw}, etc. See under {Band}, {Crosscut}, etc. {Circular saw}, a disk of steel with saw teeth upon its periphery, and revolved on an arbor. {Saw bench}, a bench or table with a flat top for for sawing, especially with a circular saw which projects above the table. {Saw file}, a three-cornered file, such as is used for sharpening saw teeth. {Saw frame}, the frame or sash in a sawmill, in which the saw, or gang of saws, is held. {Saw gate}, a saw frame. {Saw gin}, the form of cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney, in which the cotton fibers are drawn, by the teeth of a set of revolving circular saws, through a wire grating which is too fine for the seeds to pass. {Saw grass} (Bot.), any one of certain cyperaceous plants having the edges of the leaves set with minute sharp teeth, especially the {Cladium Mariscus} of Europe, and the {Cladium effusum} of the Southern United States. Cf. {Razor grass}, under {Razor}. {Saw log}, a log of suitable size for sawing into lumber. {Saw mandrel}, a mandrel on which a circular saw is fastened for running. {Saw pit}, a pit over which timbor is sawed by two men, one standing below the timber and the other above. --Mortimer. {Saw sharpener} (Zo["o]l.), the great titmouse; -- so named from its harsh call note. [Prov. Eng.] {Saw whetter} (Zo["o]l.), the marsh titmouse ({Parus palustris}); -- so named from its call note. [Prov. Eng.] {Scroll saw}, a ribbon of steel with saw teeth upon one edge, stretched in a frame and adapted for sawing curved outlines; also, a machine in which such a saw is worked by foot or power.
\Saw\, v. t. [imp. {Sawed}; p. p. {Sawed} or {Sawn}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sawing}.] 1. To cut with a saw; to separate with a saw; as, to saw timber or marble. 2. To form by cutting with a saw; as, to saw boards or planks, that is, to saw logs or timber into boards or planks; to saw shingles; to saw out a panel. 3. Also used figuratively; as, to saw the air.
\Saw\, v. i. 1. To use a saw; to practice sawing; as, a man saws well. 2. To cut, as a saw; as, the saw or mill saws fast. 3. To be cut with a saw; as, the timber saws smoothly.

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