tooling

American  

[too-ling] / ˈtu lɪŋ /

noun

1. work done with a tool or tools; tooled ornamentation, as on wood, stone, or leather.

2. Machinery.

   1. a number of tools, as in a particular factory.

   2. the planning and arrangement of tools for a particular manufacturing process.

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tooling British  

/ ˈtuːlɪŋ /

noun

1. any decorative work done with a tool, esp a design stamped onto a book cover, piece of leatherwork, etc

2. the selection, provision, and setting up of tools, esp for a machining operation

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Etymology

Origin of tooling

First recorded in 1665–75; tool + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

If that case plays out, Shi said he could see hyperscalers leaning more toward customer-owned tooling, which would be bullish for EDA systems.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

Investors have been worried about customer-owned tooling, where AI hyperscalers design their own chips in-house, reducing their need for Broadcom chips.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

He also pointed to “increased noise around hyperscalers” leaning toward customer-owned tooling, which is when the customer has control over the manufacturing process and can choose different suppliers for different parts.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Arsenal-1 will use a common set of commercial manufacturing tooling, machinery, and processes for every type of autonomous vehicle that Anduril produces, the company said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Sitting down, he lifted the saddle onto his knee and looked close at the silver and the tooling.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• color
• design
• finery
• ornament
• plaque
• ribbon
• trinket
• wreath