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coping saw

American  

noun

  1. a saw consisting of a thin, light blade held, under tension, in a U -shaped frame that has a handle: used for cutting small curves in wood.


coping saw British  

noun

  1. a handsaw with a U-shaped frame used for cutting curves in a material too thick for a fret saw

"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

Etymology

Origin of coping saw

First recorded in 1930–35

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A simple handsaw, such as a hacksaw or coping saw, should work fine.

From Washington Post • Aug. 22, 2021

I used my father’s little coping saw to cut them into circles.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

Use a coping saw to cut out the base.

From The Library of Work and Play: Gardening and Farming. by Shaw, Ellen Eddy

They are designed to be made with the coping saw out of thin wood.

From Wood and Forest by Noyes, William

Cutting Sharp Corners.—When cutting a sharp turn in the wood with the coping saw, care should be taken not to twist the saw blade out of shape.

From Advanced Toy Making for Schools by Mitchell, David M.