auger

American  

[aw-ger] / ˈɔ gər /

noun

1. Carpentry.

   1. a bit, as for a brace.

   2. a boring tool, similar to but larger than a gimlet, consisting of a bit rotated by a transverse handle.

2. earth auger.

3. a device consisting of a shaft with a broad helical flange rotating within a cylindrical casing to force bulk materials from one end to the other.

4. snake.

---

auger British  

/ ˈɔːɡə /

noun

1. a hand tool with a bit shaped like a corkscrew, for boring holes in wood

2. a larger tool of the same kind for boring holes in the ground

---

Etymology

Origin of auger

before 900; Middle English nauger ( a nauger misdivided as an auger; cf. adder ¹, apron), Old English nafogār nave-piercer (cognate with Old Norse nafarr, Old Saxon nabugēr, Middle Dutch navegeer, Old High German nabagēr ), equivalent to nafa nave + gār spear; cf. gore ³, garlic

Explanation

If you need to bore a hole in a block of ice, grab your auger. An auger is a hand tool with a long blade that looks sort of like a screw, which drills holes when turned. An auger is typically used to drill holes in material such as wood, soil, or ice. When you turn the auger, the blade digs into the material and slowly shaves away a thin layer, eventually creating a hole. Think of it as working like a drill — only you’re the one supplying the power. A special kind of auger made out of a long coil of wire can be used to clear clogs out of drains or pipe

Example Sentences

Auger, a cybersecurity specialist who co-founded a refill store in Pasadena to help consumers reduce plastic waste, said she was not completely surprised by the front group’s scare tactics.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2022

Team World's highest-ranked player was Canada's Felix Auger Aliassime at number 11.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2021

Two-time defending Olympic champion Andy Murray received a tough opener against 15th-ranked Felix Auger Aliassime of Canada, who is seeded ninth.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2021

Data from the Telescope Array in Utah suggest they are exclusively protons, whereas the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina suggests heavier nuclei are mixed among the protons.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 14, 2021

Guynemer's red rosette meant glory to the great chasers, to wounded Heurtaux, to Ménard and Deullin, to Auger, Fonck, Jailler, Guérin, Baudouin, and all their comrades!

From Georges Guynemer Knight of the Air by Sill, Louise Morgan