saw

¹

[saw]

noun

1. a tool or device for cutting, typically a thin blade of metal with a series of sharp teeth.

2. any similar tool or device, as a rotating disk, in which a sharp continuous edge replaces the teeth.

verb (used with object)

sawed, sawed, sawn, sawing. 

1. to cut or divide with a saw.

2. to form by cutting with a saw.

3. to make cutting motions as if using a saw.

   to saw the air with one's hands.

4. to work (something) from side to side like a saw.

verb (used without object)

sawed, sawed, sawn, sawing. 

1. to use a saw.

2. to cut with or as if with a saw.

3. to cut as a saw does.

saw

²

[saw]

verb

1. simple past tense of see.

saw

³

[saw]

noun

1. a sententious saying; maxim; proverb.

   He could muster an old saw for every occasion.

saw

¹

/ sɔː /

noun

1. any of various hand tools for cutting wood, metal, etc, having a blade with teeth along one edge

2. any of various machines or devices for cutting by use of a toothed blade, such as a power-driven circular toothed wheel or toothed band of metal

verb

1. to cut with a saw

2. to form by sawing

3. to cut as if wielding a saw

   to saw the air

4. to move (an object) from side to side as if moving a saw

SAW

²

abbreviation

1. surface acoustic wave

saw

³

/ sɔː /

verb

1. the past tense of see 1

saw

⁴

/ sɔː /

noun

1. a wise saying, maxim, or proverb

Other Word Forms

• sawer noun
• sawlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of saw¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun sau(e), soue, zaue, Old English saga, sagu; cognate with Dutch zaag, Old Norse sǫg, German Säge, all meaning “saw”; akin to Latin secāre “to cut,” Old English seax “short sword, knife, dagger”; the verb is derivative of the noun; sax ², section

Origin of saw²

First recorded before 950; Middle English sau(e), sauhe, sagh(e) “talk, words, something said,” Old English sagu “a saying, speech, narrative”; cognate with German Sage “legend, fable, myth, tradition,” Old Norse saga “statement, tale, story, history”; saga, say ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of saw¹

Old English sagu; related to Old Norse sog, Old High German saga, Latin secāre to cut, secūris axe

Origin of saw²

Old English sagu a saying; related to _saga

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. saw wood, to snore loudly while sleeping.

see old saw.

Example Sentences

Last month saw the company launch its well-received Gemini 3 AI model, while Google’s chips have also been winning praise.

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The first dispute between Unite and Birmingham City Council saw on-off industrial action for several weeks from January, before all-out strikes started on 11 March.

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"Brian was the presenter of the programme at the time and I saw a lot of him that week," he said.

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I saw him and obviously he was emotional in that moment because they needed a P3, I guess, to help win the championship, now they need more.

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The Florida meeting was the latest step in weeks of intense "shuttle diplomacy" which saw Ukrainian and Russian delegations separately engage with US officials to discuss a peace plan.

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Related Words

• saying