pair of pliers
5
2.5
- noun
- /pɛr əv ˈplaɪərz/
:
alicates
- His striped bib overalls sagged in front, heavy with tools, and a pair of pliers swung from a loop on one leg.
- a pair of pliers or a screwdriver
- a giant pair of pliers
- picking up a pair of pliers
But anyway, the doctor came out with a pair of gloves on and just took pair of pliers and jerked it out.
- But anyway, the doctor came out with a pair of gloves on and just took pair of pliers and jerked it out.
Examples
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Wade walks to the cabinet, removes a pair of pliers from the tool drawer, and goes toward the bathroom.
Fiction book (1997) -
Need a pair of pliers for those?
-
In related news, I need a new pair of pliers.
Blog text (34) -
A specific pair of pliers for jewelry making.
Blog text (1) -
With a pair of pliers, he tugs at something within the socket, puts the faceplate back on, and screws it down.
Fiction book (1991) -
She watched with some satisfaction as he muttered a curse beneath his breath and fished a pair of pliers from his belt loop.
Fiction book (1995) -
He used a pair of pliers to grip the stubborn bolt tightly.
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She had to buy a new pair of pliers for the home repair project.
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The toolbox contained a pair of pliers, a hammer, and some screws.
Synonyms
A small tool with two long metal arms joined at one end used to hold, bend, or cut things
A hand tool with a joint you can move to make the jaws open wider
A hand tool with a moving joint and jaws for gripping different sizes
A tool with two joined arms used to hold or pull things
A hand tool that joins metal parts by pressing and bending them together
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from 'pair' (two matching items) + 'pliers' (a two‑armed gripping tool) with 'of' as a simple linker, so a learner who knows those words can infer a two‑part hand tool used for gripping/cutting. Although 'pliers' looks morphologically plural, the composition is straightforward and common, making the expression immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Pair of pliers: The name pair of pliers comes from the tool's two matching arms joined at a hinge. Those two parts work together like a pair, with metal jaws that close to 'grip' or 'cut' things, so the name shows why the tool is used for holding, bending, or cutting objects.