Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A pointed tool for making holes, as in wood or leather.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A pointed instrument for piercing small holes in leather, wood, etc., as the bent-pointed awl of the shoemaker and saddler and the straight-pointed brad-awl of the joiner.
- n. The popinjay or green woodpecker, Picus or Gecinus viridis.
Wiktionary
- n. A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a pointed tool for marking surfaces or for punching small holes
Etymologies
- Middle English aul, probably blend of Old English æl and Old English awel, fleshhook.
Examples
“June 14, 2008 at 7:38 am oooh dere yew guys arrrrr ai wuz jus merrily making a list…….. awl alone…..awl bi myself an den i posted and DER YEW WERE jamamakitty says:”
Oh WOW… - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“August 19, 2008 at 3:32 pm hands blankees, hawt choklit martoonies awl around wiff sum choklit possums fur gud measure……*finks ai hope ai found dem awl*”
itteh bitteh sleepeh committeh - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“*luuks rownd hoepfullee fer akshul fyremens tew hep wif awl dis carryin awl*”
go on - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“June 21, 2009 at 11:55 am oh 2M, ai still haz wun nuther ticket to mariners cheezmeet baseblol game………. let me look, yep, has yer name awl ober it!”
They always seemed to know - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“Ah wil lub dem and hugs dem and squeez dem and calls awl ub dem Jorj!”
Mavis became a - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“Yes, wif noo kitteh alarm klok, u gets ur acupunkshur and wake ups call awl in one.”
ALARM CLOCK CAT - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“Did yoo call awl the vets offices, an odder animal places?”
i battle budy - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?
“Their points, closely examined, were seen to be finely bearded or barbed, and shaped like an awl, that is, a little concave, to give the barbs effect.”
“I would swear that thou thinkest of chess only as thou cobblest thy shoes; every hole of your awl is a square of the board, every stitch a move, and a finished pair, paid for, check-mate to your adversary; eh!”
“[40] An old-fashioned play on the words "awl" and "all," and means, of course, packing up all his possessions.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘awl’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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The Bindery
A list of bookbinding terms and phrases, for assembling new or repairing/reassembling old books.
perfect binding, animal glue, spine, textblock, polyvinyl acetate, double-fan adhesi..., board, backing, rounding, bone, book cloth, pasteboard and 260 more...
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crosswords
yen, emend, fete, gest, orlop, latria, ensilage, aria, wend, ilk, fen, espy and 9 more...
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The Tool Shed
Are you the sharpest tool in the shed? If you had to live in the tool shed -- what tool would you be?
rake-ish, hoe, hedge (my bet) cl..., jig (is up) saw, sump pump, pickaxe, (go) tiller (on a..., scythe not, coping saw, tack(y) hammer, rasp, plumb bob and 27 more...
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Grafting, &c.
I'm specifically looking for terms from "old arboriculture," but it's an open list.
graft, grafting, arboriculture, scion, approaching, inarching, inarch, imp, shoot, adultery, arborist, ingraft and 52 more...
yarb Awl things to awl men. Jul 25, 2008