chain saw

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noun

a power saw, usually portable, having teeth set on an endless chain.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of chain saw

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Other definitions for chain saw (2 of 2)

chain-saw

or chain·saw

[ cheyn-saw ]

/ ˈtʃeɪnˌsɔ /

verb (used with object)

to cut or cut down (lumber, a tree, etc.) with a chain saw.

verb (used without object)

to use a chain saw.

Origin of chain-saw

First recorded in 1955–60

How to use chain saw in a sentence

Being buried alive is a nightmare that ranks alongside masked chainsaw-wielding madmen and enormous tarantulas.
What It’s Like to Wake Up Dead|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I felt at one point like I was looking right into a chainsaw.
Greil Marcus Talks About Trying to Unlock Rock and Roll in 10 Songs|Allen Barra|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The edges of the chainsaw chains and the mower blades, obviously.
What Did TJ Mean By “Pursuit of Happiness,” Anyway?|P. J. O’Rourke|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Told by a black man, the chainsaw joke would go over perfectly well as witty nonsense, for example.
Justin Bieber: Not a Racist, But Is He Really a N*****?|John McWhorter|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I doubt this is the kind of engineering that would help fix my chainsaw.
The Federal Government Has Violated My Right to Chainsaw|P. J. O’Rourke|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for chain saw

chain saw

noun

a motor-driven saw, usually portable, in which the cutting teeth form links in a continuous chain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012