awl

[ awl ]

/ ɔl /

noun

a pointed instrument for piercing small holes in leather, wood, etc.

Origin of awl

before 900; Middle English al, eal, aul, Old English al, eal, æl; cognate with Old Norse alr; akin to Middle English ēl, Old English ǣl, Old High German āla (German Ahle), Sanskrit ā́rā

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH awl

ale ail awl all awl (see usage note at all)

Words nearby awl

awheel, awhile, awhirl, awkward, awkward age, awl, awl snail, awl-shaped, awless, awlwort, awmous

Definition for awl (2 of 2)

A.W.L.

or a.w.l.

absent with leave.

Example sentences from the Web for awl

Then his master must take him to the door and publicly pierce his ear with an awl.

The Tithe Is High: End the GOP Civil War! |Bill Schulz |January 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This second view was given representative voice by Choire Sicha at The Awl.

What Kind of Christian Is Barack Obama? |Michael Tomasky |May 8, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
He regularly contributes essays to The Awl, and is a graduate of both NYU and Columbia University.

What's Real in The Rite |Seth Colter Walls |January 31, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
Daniel D'Addario is a writer who's contributed to Newsweek, The Awl, Urlesque, and Capital.

The Power of the Booker |Daniel D'Addario |October 12, 2010 |DAILY BEAST

Natasha Vargas-Cooper is the Los Angeles correspondent for The Awl.

The Rehab Show That Works |Natasha Vargas-Cooper |July 21, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
At the age of twenty-three, he dropped his awl and hammer, and emerged into the world.

Sketches of Reforms and Reformers, of Great Britain and Ireland |Henry B. Stanton
Padna admired the skilful manner in which he made the holes with his awl and drew the wax-end with rapid strokes.

Waysiders |Seumas O'Kelly
The last act of ownership performed by the master was the piercing of the right ear with an awl.

Landholding In England |Joseph Fisher
We should awl aim at perfeckshun, but no one but a phool will expekt tew reach it.

The Complete Works of Josh Billings |Henry W. Shaw
I got no mouth spaich out of him at awl, but I screeched and screeched an' prayed until I convarted myself!

A Book of the West. Volume I Devon |S. Baring-Gould

British Dictionary definitions for awl

awl

/ (ɔːl) /

noun

a pointed hand tool with a fluted blade used for piercing wood, leather, etc See also bradawl

Word Origin for awl

Old English ǣl; related to Old Norse alr, Old High German āla, Dutch aal, Sanskrit ārā

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

awl

noun

Origin of awl

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH awl

Words nearby awl

Definition for awl (2 of 2)

or a.w.l.

Example sentences from the Web for awl

British Dictionary definitions for awl

noun

Word Origin for awl

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

awl

noun

Origin of awl

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH awl

Words nearby awl

Definition for awl (2 of 2)

or a.w.l.

Words related to awl

Example sentences from the Web for awl

British Dictionary definitions for awl

noun

Word Origin for awl