saw

1
[ saw ]
/ sɔ /

noun

a tool or device for cutting, typically a thin blade of metal with a series of sharp teeth.
any similar tool or device, as a rotating disk, in which a sharp continuous edge replaces the teeth.

verb (used with object), sawed, sawed or sawn, saw·ing.

verb (used without object), sawed, sawed or sawn, saw·ing.

Idioms for saw

    saw wood, Informal. to snore loudly while sleeping.

Origin of saw

1
before 1000; (noun) Middle English sawe, Old English saga, *sagu; cognate with Dutch zaag, Old Norse sǫg; akin to German Säge saw, Latin secāre to cut (see section), Old English seax knife, sax2; (v.) Middle English sawen, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM saw

saw·er, noun saw·like, adjective

Definition for saw (2 of 4)

saw 2
[ saw ]
/ sɔ /

verb

simple past tense of see1.

Definition for saw (3 of 4)

saw 3
[ saw ]
/ sɔ /

noun

a sententious saying; maxim; proverb: He could muster an old saw for every occasion.

Origin of saw

3
before 950; Middle English; Old English sagu; cognate with German Sage, Old Norse saga saga; akin to say1

Definition for saw (4 of 4)

see 1
[ see ]
/ si /

verb (used with object), saw, seen, see·ing.

verb (used without object), saw, seen, see·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of see

1
before 900; Middle English seen, Old English sēon; cognate with Dutch zien, German sehen, Old Norse sjā, Gothic saihwan

SYNONYMS FOR see

5 comprehend, penetrate.
10 determine.
11 know, undergo.
18 accompany.

OTHER WORDS FROM see

see·a·ble, adjective see·a·ble·ness, noun un·see·a·ble, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for saw

British Dictionary definitions for saw (1 of 6)

saw 1
/ (sɔː) /

noun

any of various hand tools for cutting wood, metal, etc, having a blade with teeth along one edge
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 saws, sawing, sawed, sawed or sawn

to cut with a saw
to form by sawing
to cut as if wielding a saw to saw the air
to move (an object) from side to side as if moving a saw

Derived forms of saw

sawer, noun sawlike, adjective

Word Origin for saw

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

British Dictionary definitions for saw (2 of 6)

saw 2
/ (sɔː) /

verb

the past tense of see 1

British Dictionary definitions for saw (3 of 6)

saw 3
/ (sɔː) /

noun

a wise saying, maxim, or proverb

Word Origin for saw

Old English sagu a saying; related to saga

British Dictionary definitions for saw (4 of 6)

SAW

abbreviation for

surface acoustic wave

British Dictionary definitions for saw (5 of 6)

see 1
/ (siː) /

verb sees, seeing, saw or seen

Derived forms of see

seeable, adjective

Word Origin for see

Old English sēon; related to Old Norse sjā, Gothic saihwan, Old Saxon sehan

British Dictionary definitions for saw (6 of 6)

see 2
/ (siː) /

noun

the diocese of a bishop, or the place within it where his cathedral or procathedral is situated See also Holy See

Word Origin for see

C13: from Old French sed, from Latin sēdēs a seat; related to sedēre to sit

Idioms and Phrases with saw (1 of 2)

saw

see old saw.

Idioms and Phrases with saw (2 of 2)

see