bench vise

6.5

A tool fixed to a workbench with two parts that press to hold things while you work

noun
/bɛnʧ vaɪs/

Specialized

: morsa de banco

Make sure to secure the frame in the bench vise to prevent it from moving during the assembly.

Examples

I believe you crushed my husband's head with a bench vise.

Boy Kills World (2024)
To make precise cuts, you should clamp the wood securely in the bench vise before starting.
He used a bench vise to hold the metal piece steady while he drilled holes in it.

Synonyms

vise

vsbench vise

18 6.5

A tool attached to a workbench that holds something tightly while you work on it

is the longer more specific name that includes the attachment noun

How Strong

machinist's vise

Specialized

8.6

bench vise

Specialized

6.5

pipe vise

Specialized

8.2

clamp

92 3.3

Surface Forms

bench vise singular

bench vises plural

Morphology

bench + vise

The meaning is directly compositional: 'bench' (a work table) modifies 'vise' (a clamping tool), so a 'bench vise' is simply a vise mounted on a bench. This follows a straightforward noun–noun modification pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer.

Etymology

Bench vise comes from the two parts bench and vise: a vise is a strong clamp fixed to a bench to hold things steady. So the name literally means 'a clamp on a workbench' and that's why it refers to a tool used 'to hold work still' while you work.