Parus palustris

Saw Saw, n. [OE. sawe, AS. sage; akin to D. zaag, G. s["a]ge, OHG. sega, saga, Dan. sav, Sw. s[*a]g, Icel. s["o]g, L. secare to cut, securis ax, secula sickle. Cf. {Scythe}, {Sickle}, {Section}, {Sedge}.] An instrument for cutting or dividing substances, as wood, iron, etc., consisting of a thin blade, or plate, of steel, with a series of sharp teeth on the edge, which remove successive portions of the material by cutting and tearing. [1913 Webster]

Note: Saw is frequently used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound. [1913 Webster]

{Band saw}, {Crosscut saw}, etc. See under {Band}, {Crosscut}, etc.

{Circular saw}, a disk of steel with saw teeth upon its periphery, and revolved on an arbor.

{Saw bench}, a bench or table with a flat top for for sawing, especially with a circular saw which projects above the table.

{Saw file}, a three-cornered file, such as is used for sharpening saw teeth.

{Saw frame}, the frame or sash in a sawmill, in which the saw, or gang of saws, is held.

{Saw gate}, a saw frame.

{Saw gin}, the form of cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney, in which the cotton fibers are drawn, by the teeth of a set of revolving circular saws, through a wire grating which is too fine for the seeds to pass.

{Saw grass} (Bot.), any one of certain cyperaceous plants having the edges of the leaves set with minute sharp teeth, especially the {Cladium Mariscus} of Europe, and the {Cladium effusum} of the Southern United States. Cf. {Razor grass}, under {Razor}.

{Saw log}, a log of suitable size for sawing into lumber.

{Saw mandrel}, a mandrel on which a circular saw is fastened for running.

{Saw pit}, a pit over which timbor is sawed by two men, one standing below the timber and the other above. --Mortimer.

{Saw sharpener} (Zo["o]l.), the great titmouse; -- so named from its harsh call note. [Prov. Eng.]

{Saw whetter} (Zo["o]l.), the marsh titmouse ({Parus palustris}); -- so named from its call note. [Prov. Eng.]

{Scroll saw}, a ribbon of steel with saw teeth upon one edge, stretched in a frame and adapted for sawing curved outlines; also, a machine in which such a saw is worked by foot or power. [1913 Webster]