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noun

jigsaw

JIHG-saw
noun
1
A power tool with a thin blade that moves rapidly up and down, used to cut curved shapes in wood or metal.
"He used a jigsaw to cut the curved edge of the shelf."
2
A puzzle made of oddly shaped interlocking pieces that form a picture when assembled; a jigsaw puzzle.
"They spent the rainy afternoon putting together a thousand-piece jigsaw."
"The last few pieces of the jigsaw were the hardest to find."

How to Use Jigsaw

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the cutting power tool or the interlocking picture puzzle named after it.

Common pairings
jigsaw puzzle jigsaw blade

Word Forms

jigsawed past tense, jigsawn past tense, jigsaws plural, jigsaws singular

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He used a _____ to cut the curved edge of the shelf.

Etymology

From "jig" (referring to the saw's jerking motion) plus "saw."

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial