Planings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Thin curled strips of wood or metal that are cut away when a plane smooths a surface
2. The shavings shed from a board or metal piece as it is smoothed with a planing tool
3. Fine slivers pared off a workpiece by a plane during the process of smoothing or shaping it

Etymology: "Planings" is the plural of "planing," which names the thin shavings or curls of wood that a plane removes from a board as it smooths the surface. The noun "planing" comes from the verb "plane," which in English has meant to smooth or level a surface with a plane, the cutting tool. The plural simply counts those shavings, so a carpenter sweeping up a workshop floor is dealing with a heap of planings.

Synonyms: shavings, chips, curls