awl

¹ American  

[awl] / ɔl /

noun

1. a pointed instrument for piercing small holes in leather, wood, etc.

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A.W.L. ² American  

Or a.w.l.

abbreviation

1. absent with leave.

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awl British  

/ ɔːl /

noun

1. a pointed hand tool with a fluted blade used for piercing wood, leather, etc See also bradawl

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Etymology

Origin of awl

before 900; Middle English al, eal, aul, Old English al, eal, æl; cognate with Old Norse alr; akin to Middle English ēl, Old English ǣl, Old High German āla ( German Ahle ), Sanskrit ā́rā

Explanation

An awl is a tool with a long, sharp end for making holes in leather or wood. If your uncle is a shoemaker, an awl might be the perfect gift for him. It looks kind of like an ice pick, but an awl is a tool used by shoemakers, carpenters and other craftsmen who need to punch small holes through leather or wood. If your shoes were made by hand, chances are all those little holes where the laces go through were made with the use of an awl.

Example Sentences

She also had silver earplugs threaded through with silver hoops, an awl covered in silver—and a companion: a middle-age man laid to rest in the same jar with a fraction of her wealth.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 4, 2023

"Wagner is not a piece of slippery soap which the bureaucrats have got used to shoving all over the place; Wagner is an awl, a stiletto that you cannot hide," Prigozhin said.

From Reuters • May 28, 2023

With a screwdriver or an awl, poke into the wood; if it goes in more than ⅛ inch, rot has probably begun.

From Washington Post • Oct. 28, 2022

And maybe — maybe — she doesn’t get the awl.

From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2022

Three fine needles of whalebone, an awl for making holes, a good stone knife for scraping hides, two cooking pots, and a small box made from a shell with many earrings in it.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell