tool: Meaning and Definition of

tool

Pronunciation: (tl), [key]
— n.
  1. an implement, esp. one held in the hand, as a hammer, saw, or file, for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.
  2. any instrument of manual operation.
  3. the cutting or machining part of a lathe, planer, drill, or similar machine.
  4. the machine itself; a machine tool.
  5. anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose: Education is a tool for success.
  6. a person manipulated by another for the latter's own ends; cat's-paw.
  7. the design or ornament impressed upon the cover of a book.
    1. a pistol or gun.
    2. a pickpocket.
  8. . penis.
—v.t.
  1. to work or shape with a tool.
  2. to work decoratively with a hand tool.
  3. to ornament (the cover of a book) with a bookbinder's tool.
  4. to drive (a vehicle): He tooled the car along the treacherous path.
  5. to equip with tools or machinery.
—v.i.
  1. to work with a tool.
  2. to drive or ride in a vehicle: tooling along the freeway.
  3. to install machinery designed for performing a particular job: manufacturers tooling up for production.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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