tool meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

tool

noun

UK, WA /tuːl/ · US /tul/

Etymology

From Middle English tool, tol, from Old English tōl (“tool, implement, instrument”, literally “that with which one prepares something”), perhaps borrowed from Old Norse tól, but at any rate ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tōlą (“that which is used in preparation, tool”), from Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- (“to tie to, secure”), equivalent to taw (“to prepare”) + -le (agent suffix). Cognate with Scots tuil (“tool, implement, instrument, device”), Icelandic tól (“tool”), Faroese tól (“tool, instrument”). Related to Old English tāwian (“to make, prepare, or cultivate”); see taw, and tow ("fibres used for spinning").

9 senses

1Any physical device meant to ease or do a task.
2Any piece of equipment used in a profession, such as a…
3Anything that aids someone to perform an operation; an…
4A piece of software used to develop software or…
5A person or group which is used or controlled, usually…
6A particular skill pertaining to baseball (such as…
7A penis, notably with a sexual or erotic connotation.
8An obnoxious or uptight person.
9A handgun.

Any physical device meant to ease or do a task.

Several prehistoric tools, including a stone ax, were found during the dig.
A screwdriver is a tool that no household should be without.

1 more example

A stapler is a tool for attaching papers to others.

Any piece of equipment used in a profession, such as a craftsman's.

the tools of the trade
Rakes, shovels, hoes, and spades are some of the tools of the gardener's trade.

3 more examples

I don't have the right tools to start fiddling around with the engine.
A timing light is a tool that only an automotive mechanic, professional or amateur, would have.
Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.2012 March 23, Brian Hayes, “Pixels or Perish”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 106:

Anything that aids someone to perform an operation; an instrument; a means.

Idleness is a tool of the devil.
A spreadsheet app and a bookkeeping app are some of the principal tools of a bookkeeper.

2 more examples

What was the need of a man to do that? "One stick at a time;" if Ned could not do that, he was a poor tool. Ah, a poor tool he proved to be.1867, The Masonic Trowel, volume 6, page 44:
Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus.[…]A photo processing technique called focus stacking has changed that. Developed as a tool to electronically combine the sharpest bits of multiple digital images, focus stacking is a boon to biologists seeking full focus on a micron scale.2013 July-August, Catherine Clabby, “Focus on Everything”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 11 May 2017:

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A piece of software used to develop software or hardware, or to perform low-level operations.

The software engineer had been developing lots of EDA tools.
a tool for recovering deleted files from a disk

A person or group which is used or controlled, usually unwittingly, by another person or group, a pawn.

She was a tool of the pharmaceutical lobby.
He was a tool of a foreign influence operation.

Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A particular skill pertaining to baseball (such as hitting, running, etc.).

a five-tool player
When asked what he liked about Youk [Kevin Youkilis], former Boston scout Matt Haas says, "At first glance, not a lot." (Mind you, this is one of the few scouts who actually wanted the kid.) "He was unorthodox," says Haas, who now scouts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. "He had an extreme crouch—his thighs were almost parallel to the ground. And he was heavier than he is now. But the more I watched him, the more I just thought, Throw the tools out the window. This guy can play baseball."2007 November 7, Mark Bechtel, “"there's Something Fun About Yooouuuk"”, in Sports Illustrated, archived from the original on 14 Oct 2008:

Informal, Vulgar A penis, notably with a sexual or erotic connotation.

Or haue wee some strange Indian with the great Toole, come to Court, the women so besiege vs?1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv], page 231:
She wanna hang with the goons She wanna party midnight till noon She wanna play with my tool2019 January 2, Burna Bandz, “Goons” (track 13), in Compact Burna:

Broadly, Derogatory, Slang, Vulgar An obnoxious or uptight person.

He won't sell us tickets because it's 3:01, and they went off sale at 3. That guy's such a tool.

Canada, Multicultural London English, US, Slang A handgun.

And possibly wider

In my city keep a tool Lil nigga you know the rules2019 January 2, Burna Bandz, “Goons” (track 13), in Compact Burna:
Three waps up and a couple of shanks (Just in case) But I got faith that these tools won't jam2020 November 19, (67) PR SAD, “One Wish” (1:41 from the start):

Synonyms: tool
Derived terms: 117 terms
Autotools, claw tool, course authoring tool, criminal tool, crimping tool, deburring tool, down tools, dry-tool, edge tool, entrenching tool, E-tool, e-tool, fine adjustment tool, five-tool, five tool player, five-tool player, go back to the tools, grafting tool, Halligan tool, hand tool, hive tool, hooligan tool, Hurst tool, Jacot tool, Kelly tool, K-tool, love tool, macaroni tool, machine tool, metatool, meta-tool, microtool, mindtool, multitool, multi-tool, nanotool, not the sharpest tool in the box, not the sharpest tool in the shed, oscillating tool, rape tool, retool, set tool, sex tool, shaving tool, side tool, spare tool, swing tool, tint tool, tip tool, toolage, tool and die, toolbag, toolbar, tool bar, tool-bar, toolbelt, toolbox, tool box, toolbuilder, toolbuilding, toolcase, toolchain, toolchest, tool chest, toolcrib, tool-crib, tool crib, tooled, tooler, tool frame, tool-friendly, toolholder, toolholding, toolhouse, toolie, tooling, toolishness, toolkit, tool kit, toolless, toollike, toolmaker, toolmaking, toolman, toolmark, toolpath, tool path, toolpost, tool post, toolpusher, tool-pusher, toolrest, tool-rest, toolroom, tool room, toolset, toolsetter, toolsetting, toolshed, tool shed, toolshelf, toolsmith, toolsmithing, tools of ignorance, toolstack, tool steel, toolstock, tool stone, toolstrip, tool subject, toolsy, tooltip, tool up, turning tool, webtool, worktool, work-tool
Related terms: instrument, device, :Category:Tools
Hyponyms: 162 terms
adze, axe, billhook, blade, bolt cutter, broach, ceramic tile cutter, chisel, coping saw, countersink, diamond blade, diamond tool, drill bit, endmill, file, fretsaw, froe, glass cutter, grater, hacksaw, hand saw, knife, machete, miter saw, milling cutter, pipecutter, plane, razor, reamer, saw, scalpel, scissors, slasher, splitting maul, surform, switchblade, tap and die, tool bit, utility knife, water jet cutter, wire cutter, wire stripper, cultivator, earth auger, edger, garden fork, garden trowel, hedge trimmer, hoe, hori hori, irrigation sprinkler, lawn aerator, lawn mower, lawn sweeper, leaf blower, loppers, mattock, pickaxe, pitchfork, plough, pruning shears, rake, rotary tiller, scythe, spade, string trimmer, hand tool, block plane, remover, brace, breaker bar, broom, brush, caliper, card scraper, clamp, crowbar, crimping pliers, fish tape, hammer, hawk, hex key, locking pliers, mallet, maul, micrometer, miter box, pipe wrench, pliers, plumb-bob, punch, punch down tool, putty knife, ratchet, screwdriver, spirit level, sponge, squeegee, square, staple gun, tape measure, torque wrench, trowel, wrench, power tool, band saw, belt sander, chainsaw, chop saw, circular saw, concrete saw, crusher, drill, grinding machine, heat gun, impact wrench, jigsaw, jointer, lathe, nail gun, planer, radial arm saw, random orbital sander, reciprocating saw, rotary tool, sander, scroll saw, soldering gun, soldering iron, table saw, thickness planer, wood router, machine tool, drill press, hobber, jig borer, machining center, horizontal machining center, vertical machining center, milling machine, shaper, slotter, screw machine, turning center, criminal tool, crimping tool, cutting tool, deburring tool, edge tool, entrenching tool, grafting tool, Halligan tool, hive tool, Jacot tool, set tool, sex tool, side tool, spare tool, swing tool, tint tool, tip tool, turning tool

tool

verb

Etymology

8 senses

1To work on or shape with tools, e.g., hand-tooled leather.
2To equip with tools.
3To work very hard.
4To put down another person (possibly in a subtle, hidden…
5To intentionally attack the ball so that it deflects off…
6To drive (a coach or other vehicle).
7To carry or convey in a coach or other vehicle.
8To travel in a vehicle; to ride or drive.

To work on or shape with tools, e.g., hand-tooled leather.

To equip with tools.

To work very hard.

Do this lab and read this book, now tool, one and all, And be sure and pass that final quiz or be screwed right to the wall.1965, Matt Fichtenbaum, Dan Murphy, “The Institute Screw”, in The Broadside of Boston, volume III, number 22:

Slang To put down another person (possibly in a subtle, hidden way), and in that way to use him or her to meet a goal.

Dude, he's not your friend. He's just tooling you.

Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Volleyball To intentionally attack the ball so that it deflects off a blocker out of bounds.

UK, Dated, Slang To drive (a coach or other vehicle).

UK, Dated, Slang To carry or convey in a coach or other vehicle.

1850s, Cuthbert M. Bede, The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green Among those who seemed disposed to join in this opinion was the Jehu of the Warwickshire coach, who expressed his conviction to our hero, that "he wos a young gent as had much himproved hisself since he tooled him up to the Warsity with his guvnor."

Slang To travel in a vehicle; to ride or drive.

March 8, 1890, Byron P. Stephenson, "My Trip to Brazil", in Illustrated American boys on their bicycles tooling along the well-kept roads
These are the guys that tool around in Mercedes Sprinter vans with equipment lockers stuffed with everything from riot helmets to tasers.2011, Ben Aaronovitch, Rivers of London, Gollancz, published 2011, page 324:

Synonyms: use
Derived terms: tool around

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