screw auger
- noun
- /skruː ˈɔːɡər/
- Specialized
- The carpenter used a screw auger to create clean holes in the wooden beams.
Examples
-
For the DIY project, I bought a screw auger that makes boring into wood easier.
-
However, the screw augers, which were equipped with points, were too prone to jamming.
Academic text (1998) -
Then, the hole was deepened to the middle of the third layer using a standard 38-mm diameter screw auger to measure the Ks using a constant head well permeameter.
Academic text (2009) -
He demonstrated how to operate the screw auger for an efficient drilling experience.
Synonyms
A hand tool with a crank for drilling holes in wood
A hand tool with a spiral metal bit for making holes in wood
A small tool you turn by hand to make holes in wood or other materials
A tool or person that makes holes in wood, metal and concrete
A machine that drills holes in rock or the ground
A small hand tool with a spiral rod for making tiny precise holes
A small hand tool with a pointed tip and cross handle used to make holes in wood
A hand tool for making round holes in wood or stone
A hand tool with a crank that holds and turns a drill bit to make holes in wood
A tool used to make holes in wood or soil
A tool that makes holes in hard rock
How Powerful
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
Both constituents contribute directly to the meaning: 'auger' is a helical boring tool and 'screw' describes the spiral-thread quality, so 'screw auger' denotes an auger with a screw-like spiral blade. This straightforward noun–noun compounding is compositional and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Screw auger is named for how it looks and works: the long, twisted blade is like a big screw, and an auger is a tool for making holes, so when you turn it the spiral cuts into wood and pulls the tool forward. That's why the name describes a hand tool used 'to make a hole' in wood.