bench vise

1 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

25 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

1 8.6

bench vise

Specialized

1 6.5

pipe vise

Specialized

1 8.2

clamp

70 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.