tool

[tool]

noun

1. an implement, especially one held in the hand, as a hammer, saw, or file, for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.

2. any instrument of manual operation.

3. the cutting or machining part of a lathe, planer, drill, or similar machine.

4. the machine itself; a machine tool.

5. anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose.

   Education is a tool for success.

6. a person manipulated by another for the latter's own ends; cat's-paw.

7. the design or ornament impressed upon the cover of a book.

8. Underworld Slang.

   1. a pistol or gun.

   2. a pickpocket.

9. Slang: Vulgar.,  penis.

verb (used with object)

1. to work or shape with a tool.

2. to work decoratively with a hand tool.

3. to ornament (the cover of a book) with a bookbinder's tool.

4. to drive (a vehicle).

   He tooled the car along the treacherous path.

5. to equip with tools or machinery.

verb (used without object)

1. to work with a tool.

2. to drive or ride in a vehicle.

   tooling along the freeway.

verb phrase

1. tool up,  to install machinery designed for performing a particular job.

   manufacturers tooling up for production.

tool

/ tuːl /

noun

1. 1. an implement, such as a hammer, saw, or spade, that is used by hand

   2. a power-driven instrument; machine tool

   3. ( in combination )

      a toolkit

2. the cutting part of such an instrument

3. 1. any of the instruments used by a bookbinder to impress a design on a book cover

   2. a design so impressed

4. anything used as a means of performing an operation or achieving an end

   he used his boss's absence as a tool for gaining influence

5. a person used to perform dishonourable or unpleasant tasks for another

6. a necessary medium for or adjunct to one's profession

   numbers are the tools of the mathematician's trade

7. slang,  another word for penis

8. an underworld slang word for gun

verb

1. to work, cut, shape, or form (something) with a tool or tools

2. (tr) to decorate (a book cover) with a bookbinder's tool

3. to furnish with tools

4. to drive (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) to be driven, esp in a leisurely or casual style

Other Word Forms

• tool-less adjective
• tooler noun
• toolless adjective
• multitool noun
• untooled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tool¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English tōl; cognate with Old Norse tōl “tools”; akin to taw ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of tool¹

Old English tōl; related to Old Norse tōl weapon, Old English tawian to prepare; see _taw ²

Example Sentences

Shopify provides tools such as payment processing and inventory management for merchants to sell products online.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The AI predictions were generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to 'predict this week's Premier League scores'.

Read more on BBC

Silicon Valley insiders have started calling Cursor, the AI coding tool, the fastest-growing product of all time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

WordPress is a content management system, and is said to be the most popular tool of its kind for creating and designing web pages.

Read more on BBC

The Let's Talk Money course will look at topics such as formulating a budget and using online price comparison tools.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• apparatus 
• appliance 
• device 
• engine 
• gadget 
• gizmo 
• machine 
• means 
• mechanism 
• utensil 
• weapon 

When To Use

What are other ways to say tool?

The word tool usually refers to a handheld object, such as a hammer, saw, or file, that is used to perform or facilitate mechanical operations. When should you use this noun over instrument, implement, or utensil? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.