Adjacent Words

tool definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an implement used in the practice of a vocation
2: the means whereby some act is accomplished; "my greed was the instrument of my destruction"; "science has given us new tools to fight disease" [syn: instrument, tool]
3: a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else [syn: creature, tool, puppet]
4: obscene terms for penis [syn: cock, prick, dick, shaft, pecker, peter, tool, putz] v
1: drive; "The convertible tooled down the street"
2: ride in a car with no particular goal and just for the pleasure of it; "We tooled down the street" [syn: joyride, tool, tool around]
3: furnish with tools
4: work with a tool

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English t?l; akin to Old English tawian to prepare for use — more at taw Date: before 12th century 1. a. a handheld device that aids in accomplishing a task b. (1) the cutting or shaping part in a machine or machine tool (2) a machine for shaping metal ; machine tool 2. a. something (as an instrument or apparatus) used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession <a scholar's books are his tools> b. an element of a computer program (as a graphics application) that activates and controls a particular function <a drawing tool> c. a means to an end <a book's cover can be a marketing tool> d. often vulgar penis 3. one that is used or manipulated by another 4. plural natural ability <has all the tools to be a great pitcher> Synonyms: see implement II. verb Date: 1812 transitive verb 1. a. to cause (a vehicle) to go ; drive b. to convey in a vehicle 2. to shape, form, or finish with a tool; especially to letter or ornament (as leather or gold) by means of hand tools 3. to equip (as a plant or industry) with tools, machines, and instruments for production intransitive verb 1. drive, ride 2. to equip a plant or industry with the means (as machines, machine tools, and instruments) of production — often used with up III. noun Date: 1881 a design (as on the binding of a book) made by tooling

Britannica Concise

Device for making material changes on other objects, as by cutting, shearing, striking, rubbing, grinding, squeezing, measuring, or other process. A hand tool is a small manual instrument traditionally operated by the muscular strength of the user; a machine tool is a power-driven mechanism used to cut, shape, or form materials such as wood and metal. Tools are the main means by which human beings control and manipulate their physical environment.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 any device or implement used to carry out mechanical functions whether manually or by a machine. 2 a thing used in an occupation or pursuit (the tools of one's trade; literary tools). 3 a person used as a mere instrument by another. 4 coarse sl. the penis. Usage: Usually considered a taboo use. 5 a a distinct figure in the tooling of a book. b a small stamp or roller used to make this. --v.tr. 1 dress (stone) with a chisel. 2 impress a design on (a leather book-cover). 3 (foll. by along, around, etc.) sl. drive or ride, esp. in a casual or leisurely manner. 4 (often foll. by up) equip with tools. Phrases and idioms: tool-box a box or container for keeping tools in. tool-pusher a worker directing the drilling on an oil rig. tool up 1 sl. arm oneself. 2 equip oneself. Derivatives: tooler n. Etymology: OE tol f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tool Tool (t[=oo]l), v. i. [Cf. Tool, v. t., 2.] To travel in a vehicle; to ride or drive. [Colloq.] Boys on their bicycles tooling along the well-kept roads. --Illust. American.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tool Tool, v. t. [imp. & p. p. tooled; p. pr. & vb. n. tooling.] 1. To shape, form, or finish with a tool. ``Elaborately tooled.'' --Ld. Lytton. 2. To drive, as a coach. [Slang, Eng.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tool Tool, n. [OE. tol,tool. AS. t[=o]l; akin to Icel. t[=o]l, Goth. taijan to do, to make, taui deed, work, and perhaps to E. taw to dress leather. [root]64.] 1. An instrument such as a hammer, saw, plane, file, and the like, used in the manual arts, to facilitate mechanical operations; any instrument used by a craftsman or laborer at his work; an implement; as, the tools of a joiner, smith, shoe-maker, etc.; also, a cutter, chisel, or other part of an instrument or machine that dresses work. 2. A machine for cutting or shaping materials; -- also called machine tool. 3. Hence, any instrument of use or service. That angry fool . . . Whipping her horse, did with his smarting tool Oft whip her dainty self. --Spenser. 4. A weapon. [Obs.] Him that is aghast of every tool. --Chaucer. 5. A person used as an instrument by another person; -- a word of reproach; as, men of intrigue have their tools, by whose agency they accomplish their purposes. I was not made for a minion or a tool. --Burks.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(tools) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A tool is any instrument or simple piece of equipment that you hold in your hands and use to do a particular kind of work. For example, spades, hammers, and knives are all tools. I find the best tool for the purpose is a pair of shears. N-COUNT see also machine tool 2. You can refer to anything that you use for a particular purpose as a particular type of tool. The video has become an invaluable teaching tool... N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N for -ing/n 3. If you describe someone as a tool of a particular person, group, or system, you mean that they are controlled and used by that person, group, or system, especially to do unpleasant or dishonest things. He became the tool of the security services. = puppet N-COUNT: usu N of n [disapproval] 4. If you say that workers down tools, you mean that they stop working suddenly in order to strike or to make a protest of some kind. (BRIT) PHRASE: V inflects 5. The tools of your trade or the tools of the trade are the skills, instruments, and other equipment that you need in order to do your job properly. They're here to learn the tools of their trade from their American colleagues... PHRASE: PHR after v, oft v-link PHR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Instrument, implement, utensil. 2. Hireling, instrument, cat's-paw.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

The instrument of any person or faction, a cat's paw. See CATS PAW.

Moby Thesaurus

Charlie McCarthy, Federal, T square, adz, agency, agent, aid, amanuensis, ancilla, apparatus, apple-polisher, appliance, ass-licker, auto, autolithograph, avenue, awl, ax, backscratcher, backslapper, baggage agent, bale breaker, bar, battering ram, be a printmaker, bevel, bevel square, bodkin, bootlick, bootlicker, bradawl, bread knife, brown-nose, brownie, buffer, bushwhacker, business agent, butcher knife, calipers, cant hook, carve, carving knife, caulking iron, center punch, character, charioteer, chaser, chisel, chuck, chump, claim agent, clamp, clasp, clawback, cleaver, clerk, clinch, clip, clipper, clippers, commercial agent, commission agent, consignee, contraption, contrivance, courtier, cramp, crease, creature, cribble, cringer, crosshatch, crowbar, customer agent, cut, dagger, decorate, device, dibble, dividers, dog, dress, dummy, dupe, edger, electric sander, electric soldering iron, embellish, enchase, engrave, factor, fawner, fed, federal agent, file, flail, flatterer, flunky, footlicker, forceps, fork, freight agent, functionary, furrow, gadget, general agent, gimmick, gizmo, go-between, gouge, grab, grapnel, grapple, grappler, grappling iron, grave, grease gun, grindstone, grip, groove, groveler, hack, handmaid, handmaiden, handshaker, hatch, hatchet, hawk, helot, hireling, hoe, holdfast, hook, hunting knife, implement, incise, inscribe, instrument, instrumentality, insurance agent, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, jack, jackal, jackknife, jackscrew, jaws, jointer, knife, kowtower, lackey, lance, lancet, land agent, lathe, law agent, led captain, letter-opener, level, lever, lickspit, lickspittle, line, literary agent, lithograph, loan agent, machete, machine, make prints, mark, mattock, mealymouth, means, mechanism, mechanize, mediator, medium, midwife, mill, minion, miter box, motor, motorize, nail file, nail puller, news agent, nippers, official, organ, ornament, palette knife, paper clip, paper cutter, paper knife, paring knife, parliamentary agent, passenger agent, pawn, peavey, penknife, peon, pick, pickax, pilot, pincers, pinch bar, pitchfork, planer, plaything, pliers, plowshare, press agent, print, puller, punch, punch pliers, puncheon, puppet, purchasing agent, putty knife, ram, rammer, ramrod, razor, razor blade, real estate agent, retool, ripping bar, road, sales agent, saw knife, sax, scalpel, scissors, scoop, score, scrape, scraper, scratch, screwdriver, scuffle hoe, sculpture, scythe, secretary, serf, servant, shape, shaper, share, sharpen, shears, sheath knife, sickle, sidecutters, slave, snips, soldering iron, spaniel, spatula, spear, special agent, spokeshave, square, stapler, station agent, steward, stipple, stooge, suck, sucker, surgical knife, sword, sycophant, table knife, tackle, tamp, tamper, tamping pick, tap, theatrical agent, ticket agent, timeserver, tire iron, tire tool, toad, toady, tongs, toy, travel agent, truckler, tufthunter, tweezers, utensil, vehicle, vise, walking delegate, way, weapon, wedge, wheel, work, wrecking bar, wrench, yes-man