buzz saw

American  

noun

1. a power-operated circular saw, so named because of the noise it makes.

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buzz saw British  

noun

1. a power-operated circular saw

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Etymology

Origin of buzz saw

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

Also making noise is the coach’s son: Sam Hoiberg, a constant-motion buzz saw who does a little bit of everything and whom Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called his “favorite player.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

“This is not a matter of an employer refusing to guard a frequently used buzz saw or otherwise rejecting fall protection for workers at dangerous heights,” Amazon wrote in court records.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2023

After two straight losing seasons, Louisiana State was sailing toward a potential playoff berth under first-year coach Brian Kelly until the Tigers ran into a Texas A&M buzz saw last week, losing 38-23.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2022

But instead, “the residents have run into a buzz saw of bureaucracy, the kind that you would expect from a city agency.”

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2022

It sounded like I’d turned on a buzz saw in the shed.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis