Backsaws

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specialized hand saw reinforced with a back for stability that is used to create precision cuts in various types of wood
2. This tool is engineered to ensure straight cuts and is favored by woodworkers for intricate detailing
3. A hand saw designed with a rigid spine to provide stability and enable accurate cuts in woodworking

Etymology: "Backsaws" is the plural of "backsaw", a hand saw whose blade is stiffened along its top edge by a strip of metal or brass, which keeps the cut straight and the blade from wandering. The name is a plain compound: "back", the stiffened spine of the blade, joined to "saw", the cutting tool. The plural simply follows the usual English pattern of adding "-s" to the noun, so the word's history is that of "backsaw" itself. Because the compound is transparent, the name says exactly what the tool is: a saw with a back.