saw

¹ American  

[saw] / sɔ /

noun

1. a tool or device for cutting, typically a thin blade of metal with a series of sharp teeth.

2. any similar tool or device, as a rotating disk, in which a sharp continuous edge replaces the teeth.

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verb (used with object)

sawed, sawed, sawn, sawing.

1. to cut or divide with a saw.

2. to form by cutting with a saw.

3. to make cutting motions as if using a saw.

   to saw the air with one's hands.

4. to work (something) from side to side like a saw.

verb (used without object)

sawed, sawed, sawn, sawing.

1. to use a saw.

2. to cut with or as if with a saw.

3. to cut as a saw does.

idioms

1. saw wood,  to snore loudly while sleeping.

saw ² American  

[saw] / sɔ /

verb

1. simple past tense of see.

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saw ³ American  

[saw] / sɔ /

noun

1. a sententious saying; maxim; proverb.

   He could muster an old saw for every occasion.

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saw ¹ British  

/ sɔː /

noun

1. any of various hand tools for cutting wood, metal, etc, having a blade with teeth along one edge

2. any of various machines or devices for cutting by use of a toothed blade, such as a power-driven circular toothed wheel or toothed band of metal

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verb

1. to cut with a saw

2. to form by sawing

3. to cut as if wielding a saw

   to saw the air

4. to move (an object) from side to side as if moving a saw

SAW ² British  

abbreviation

1. surface acoustic wave

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saw ³ British  

/ sɔː /

verb

1. the past tense of see 1

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saw ⁴ British  

/ sɔː /

noun

1. a wise saying, maxim, or proverb

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saw More Idioms  

1. see old saw.

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Other Word Forms

• sawer noun
• sawlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of saw¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun sau(e), soue, zaue, Old English saga, sagu; cognate with Dutch zaag, Old Norse sǫg, German Säge, all meaning “saw”; akin to Latin secāre “to cut,” Old English seax “short sword, knife, dagger”; the verb is derivative of the noun; sax ², section

Origin of saw³

First recorded before 950; Middle English sau(e), sauhe, sagh(e) “talk, words, something said,” Old English sagu “a saying, speech, narrative”; cognate with German Sage “legend, fable, myth, tradition,” Old Norse saga “statement, tale, story, history”; saga, say ¹

Example Sentences

Last month saw the company launch its well-received Gemini 3 AI model, while Google’s chips have also been winning praise.

From MarketWatch

The first dispute between Unite and Birmingham City Council saw on-off industrial action for several weeks from January, before all-out strikes started on 11 March.

From BBC

"Brian was the presenter of the programme at the time and I saw a lot of him that week," he said.

From BBC

I saw him and obviously he was emotional in that moment because they needed a P3, I guess, to help win the championship, now they need more.

From BBC

The Florida meeting was the latest step in weeks of intense "shuttle diplomacy" which saw Ukrainian and Russian delegations separately engage with US officials to discuss a peace plan.

From BBC

Related Words

• saying