Adjacent Words

Tenon definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TEN'ON, n. [L. teneo, to hold.] In building and cabinet work, the end of a piece of timber, which is fitted to a mortise for insertion, or inserted, for fastening two pieces of timber together. The form of a tenon is various, as square, dovetailed, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a projection at the end of a piece of wood that is shaped to fit into a mortise and form a mortise joint

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tenir to hold — more at tenable Date: 14th century a projecting member in a piece of wood or other material for insertion into a mortise to make a joint — see dovetail illustration II. transitive verb Date: 1596 1. to unite by a tenon 2. to cut or fit for insertion in a mortise

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. a projecting piece of wood made for insertion into a corresponding cavity (esp. a mortise) in another piece. --v.tr. 1 cut as a tenon. 2 join by means of a tenon. Phrases and idioms: tenon-saw a small saw with a strong brass or steel back for fine work. Derivatives: tenoner n. Etymology: ME f. F f. tenir hold f. L tenere

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tenon Ten"on, v. t. To cut or fit for insertion into a mortise, as the end of a piece of timber.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tenon Ten"on, n. [F., fr. tenir to hold. See Tenable.] (Carp. & Join.) A projecting member left by cutting away the wood around it, and made to insert into a mortise, and in this way secure together the parts of a frame; especially, such a member when it passes entirely through the thickness of the piece in which the mortise is cut, and shows on the other side. Cf. Tooth, Tusk. Tenon saw, a saw with a thin blade, usually stiffened by a brass or steel back, for cutting tenons. [Corruptly written tenant saw.] --Gwilt.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ten'-un (yadh): This word, occurring in Ex 26 and 36, is used in the account of the tabernacle to describe the "hand" or yadh by which its 48 boards were kept in place. Each board had two tenons which were mortised into it (Ex 36:22 margin). These tenons would be made of harder wood than the acacia, so as better to stand the strain of wind and weather. When in use the tenons were sunk into the "sockets" (which see), and allowed of a speedy reerection of the tabernacle at its every remove.

Sockets are also mentioned as in use for the standards of the tabernacle court (Ex 27:10 ), but there is no mention of tenons. It may be that the base of each standard was let into its socket, without the use of any tenon. This would give it sufficient stability, as the height of each standard was but 5 cubits (7 1/2 ft.) (Ex 27:18).

For Professor A. R. S. Kennedy's different theory of "tenons," see TABERNACLE, and his own article on the "Tabernacle" in HDB, IV.

W. Shaw Caldecott