tool

[ tool ]

/ tul /

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See synonyms for: tool / tooled / tooling / tools on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

any instrument of manual operation.

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

the machine itself; a machine tool.

anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose: Education is a tool for success.

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

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

Underworld Slang.

a pistol or gun.
a pickpocket.

Slang: Vulgar. penis.

verb (used with object)

to work or shape with a tool.

to work decoratively with a hand tool.

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

to drive (a vehicle): He tooled the car along the treacherous path.

to equip with tools or machinery.

verb (used without object)

to work with a tool.

to drive or ride in a vehicle: tooling along the freeway.

Verb Phrases

tool up, to install machinery designed for performing a particular job: manufacturers tooling up for production.

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Origin of tool

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English tōl; cognate with Old Norse tōl “tools”; akin to taw²

OTHER WORDS FROM tool

tooler, nountoolless, adjectivemul·ti·tool, nounun·tooled, adjective

Words nearby tool

toodle-oo, Tooele, too good to be true, took, Tooke, tool, toolbar, toolbox, tooled up, tool engineering, toolhead

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

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.

How to use tool in a sentence

Founder Emna Ghariani says the company’s “proprietary prioritization engine” helps to sort tasks and tickets by importance, and to analyze the time they’re spending in each tool throughout the week.
Here are the 19 companies presenting at Alchemist Accelerator Demo Day XXV today|Greg Kumparak|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
This tactic goes well beyond traditional keyword research and generates content ideas directly from your targeted audience, not a keyword tool.
How to drive digital innovation necessary during the pandemic|Nick Chasinov|September 16, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Cash App already offers tools to buy stocks and cryptocurrency.
‘Square is a beast’|Jeff|September 16, 2020|Fortune
Search Trends, the Client Health Tracker, or the Reporting board are just a part of our specialized tools and resources.
How would an SEO agency be built today? Part 2: Current business model(s)|Sponsored Content: SEOmonitor|September 16, 2020|Search Engine Land

Plugged into this huge index, WeChat search has become a powerful tool to find information.
Are search engines dead in China?|Ada Luo|September 14, 2020|Search Engine Watch
And the law can easily be used as a political tool to punish any disrespect of the state.
Disco Mullah Blasphemy Row Highlights Pakistan’s Hypocrisy|Shaheen Pasha|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He wasn't crazy about being fat, but he saw his body as a tool to use in the making of his career.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tool around Capitol Hill, which brims gay bars, restaurants, and clubs.
The Ultimate LGBT Travel Bucket List||December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“The spoon was a tool for foreshadowing,” the Facebook page explains.
‘The Walking Dead’ Fans Demand: Bring Back Beth!|Melissa Leon|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This study uses the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which is really a tool that tracks crimes.
College Girls Are Less Likely to Be Raped Than Non-Students|Brandy Zadrozny|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The execution is such that the drawing of the gown and the lines of the face seem to have been traced by an engraver's tool.
Bastien Lepage|Fr. Crastre
Reaching into one of the secret pockets of his wide black belt he removed a curiously shaped tool of finest tempered steel.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Whoever denied the former proposition was called a tool of the Court.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Mariequita sat near by, dangling her legs, watching him work, and handing him nails from the tool-box.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
He could tool a heap like a maniacal genius born with a steering wheel in his hands.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tool

tool

/ (tuːl) /

noun

an implement, such as a hammer, saw, or spade, that is used by hand
a power-driven instrument; machine tool
(in combination)a toolkit

the cutting part of such an instrument

any of the instruments used by a bookbinder to impress a design on a book cover
a design so impressed

anything used as a means of performing an operation or achieving an endhe used his boss's absence as a tool for gaining influence

a person used to perform dishonourable or unpleasant tasks for another

a necessary medium for or adjunct to one's professionnumbers are the tools of the mathematician's trade

slang another word for penis

British an underworld slang word for gun

verb

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

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

(tr often foll by up) to furnish with tools

(when intr, often foll by along) to drive (a vehicle) or (of a vehicle) to be driven, esp in a leisurely or casual style

Derived forms of tool

tooler, nountool-less, adjective

Word Origin for tool

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

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

tool

Origin of tool

OTHER WORDS FROM tool

Words nearby tool

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say tool?

Words related to tool

How to use tool in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tool

Derived forms of tool

Word Origin for tool