chain saw
1
2.5
- noun
- /ˈtʃeɪn sɔː/
:
motosierra
- He bought a new chain saw to help with his landscaping projects.
- mowers and chain saws
- lawn mowers and chain saws
- power chain saws
Examples
-
It's a sunny, woodsy day in Lumberton, so get those chain saws out.
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The workers used a chain saw to cut the fallen tree into smaller logs.
-
I brought the chain saw.
-
You got yourself a chain saw?
-
I think I'll keep using my electric chain saw, thank you!
Blog text (12) -
Roberto, what are you cutting those with, a chain saw?
-
He went out to his workshop and took the little steel-tongued toggle switches off his old saber saw, his chain saw, and his MoroTool.
Fiction book (1997) -
Before starting, make sure the chain saw is properly maintained for safety.
Synonyms
75
3.5
A hand-held power tool with a sharp rotating chain used to cut wood
54
1.0
A tool with a thin toothed blade used to cut wood or other materials
3
3.2
A machine with a blade that has teeth and cuts wood or other materials
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound denotes a type of saw that uses a chain, so its meaning is directly derivable from 'chain' (connected metal rings) + 'saw' (cutting tool). Noun–noun compounding of this sort is common in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
The noun chain saw comes from the tool's clear image: a saw made from a moving metal chain with many teeth that bite into wood. That's why it means 'a portable power tool used to cut wood'.