scratch awl
- noun
- /skrætʃ ɔl/
- Specialized
- A scratch awl is an essential tool for precise woodworking projects.
Examples
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He used a scratch awl to mark the wood.
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Before drilling, she made a small dent with a scratch awl to keep the bit from slipping.
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The carpenter used a scratch awl to mark the line for the saw cut.
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A scratch awl is essential for woodworking.
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A carpenter used a scratch awl to mark the wood before cutting it.
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She carefully placed the scratch awl on the table after finishing her project.
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To ensure accuracy, he drew guidelines with a scratch awl before starting the metalwork.
Synonyms
A small pointed tool for making holes in leather, wood, or cloth
A sharp tool used to mark lines on wood or metal
A sharp pointed tool for marking lines on wood or metal before cutting
A tool that presses a design into leather, metal, or paper
How Sharp
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sharp-pointed tool used to mark surfaces' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'scratch' (to score or etch) with 'awl' (a pointed piercing tool): a scratch awl is simply an awl used for scratching/marking. This compositional, descriptive naming pattern is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Scratch awl is a small, sharp tool used to make a thin line or a tiny dent in wood or metal before cutting or drilling. The name shows the action: you scratch the surface with the pointed awl to guide a saw or drill, so the term means 'a tool used to mark'.