Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Awl |
AwlNoun1. A pointed tool for marking surfaces or for punching small holes. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "awl" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1599. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Bible | Awl an instrument only referred to in connection with the custom of boring the ear of a slave (Ex. 21:6; Deut. 15:17), in token of his volunteering perpetual service when he might be free. (Comp. Ps. 40:6; Isa. 50:5). Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Literature | Awl "I'll pack up my awls and be gone," i.e. all my goods. The play is on awl and all. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
AWL | English | Association of Women Lawyers | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Perforator | Noun: perforator, piercer, borer, auger, chisel, gimlet, stylet, drill, wimble, awl, bradawl, scoop, terrier, corkscrew, dibble, trocar, trepan, probe, bodkin, needle, stiletto, rimer, warder, lancet; punch, puncheon; spikebit, gouge; spear; (weapon); puncher; punching machine, punching press; punch pliers. |
Sharpness | Acinaciform; apiculate, apiculated; aristate, awned, awny, bearded, calamiform, cone-shaped, coniform, crestate, echinate, gladiate; lanceolate, lanciform; awl, awl-shaped, lance-shaped, awl-shaped, scimitar-shaped, sword-shaped; setarious, spinuliferous, subulate, tetrahedral, xiphoid. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Awl |
| English words defined with "awl": Awl-shaped ♦ Brad awl, bradawl, Brog ♦ Elsin ♦ hoot ♦ Nall, Nawl ♦ Oul ♦ Paronymous, pricker ♦ scratch awl, Scribe, scriber. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "awl": BALE SEWER, BASEBALL INSPECTOR AND REPAIRER ♦ CEMENTER AND FOLDER, MACHINE, CRISPIN'S LANCE ♦ flipping-machine operator, french-binding folder ♦ hand lacer, HAND SEWER, SHOES, hand trimmer, HARNESS MAKER ♦ moccasin sewer ♦ PACKER-FUSER, plastic-machine folder ♦ quarter folder ♦ RACKET STRINGER, Ring in the Ear ♦ SOLE SEWER, HAND, sole stitcher, hand ♦ thermo-cementing-folder operator, TIRE REPAIRER, TIRE-REGROOVING-MACHINE OPERATOR ♦ V-BELT COVERER ♦ WAFER BREAKER, SEMICONDUCTORS. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "awl": Oul ♦ Puncheon ♦ Subulicornes, Subulipalp. (references) |
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | William Maclay Awl. Credit: National Library of Medicine. | ![]() | Miss Mary E. Barnes, Supervisor of operations and Major F.A. Awl, Chief of Mails Section, U.S. Veterans Bureau ... Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| "Awl" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Awl" is used about 41 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 41 | 53,521 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "awl": Brad awl ♦ saddler's awl ♦ scratch awl ♦ scribe awl ♦ shoemaker's awl. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "awl": Awl-shaped. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
awl | 52 |
sewing awl | 13 |
awl hm | 12 |
awl harvest moon | 11 |
awl grip | 6 |
awl.com devito | 5 |
awl tool | 4 |
automatic awl | 4 |
awl grip paint | 4 |
leather awl | 3 |
scratch awl | 2 |
awl industry | 2 |
awl engineering he.com | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "awl"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | fëndyell (bradawl), bizë (bodkin, bradawl). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | مخرز (bradawl, broach, perforator), مثقاب للجلد. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | шило (bodkin, pricker, stiletto). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chamorro | alesna. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 錐 (to bore), "子, 鑯 (sharp iron point). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | šídlo (bradawl, dragonfly, pricker, punch). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | trekantet syl (three-edged awl), syl (cobbler's awl), maskinsyl (mechanical awl), haandspidsbor (bone awl). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | machine-naald (mechanical awl), els (alder). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | سوراخ کن (Broach), درفش (Banner). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | naskali (young rascal, young scamp). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | alêne, poinçon. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | ahle (bodkin, bradawl, pricker), pfriem. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | σουβλί (bodkin, broach, prick, prod, prong). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מרצע (gimlet). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | ár (bodkin, cost, driver, flood, full sea, high water, mainstream, margin, price, pricker, prodding tool, puncheon, rate, torrent). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | jarum sepatu. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | punteruolo (bodkin, bradawl, punch), lesina (cobbler's awl). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 千枚通し (eyeleteer). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | せ"まいどおし (eyeleteer). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | mennee (bradawl, pricker, stiletto). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papago | owij. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | awlay sovela (bradawl, broach, piercer, pricker, puncher, roasting-jack), furador (bodkin, borer, bradawl, broach, drill, driller, piercer, pricker, puncher, roasting-jack). (various references) sulã (bodkin, pricker), priboi (crane's bill, punch). (various references) шило (bodkin, bradawl, piercer, prod). (various references) minidh (an awl). (various references) šilo (bodkin, bradawl, piercer). (various references) mutsunda. (various references) punzón (bodkin, bradawl, broach, pricker, puncheon), lezna (cobbler's awl), lesna. (various references) lú-sungúlo. (various references) syl (bradawl, broach, pricker, stiletto). (various references) เหล็กปลายแหลม (ใช้เจาะหนังหรือเนื้อไม้ให้เป็นรู). (various references) tığ (crochet needle, knitting needle, needle), biz (bodkin, prod, punch, us, we). (various references) biz (we). (various references) швайка (marlinespike), шило (bodkin, bradawl, brog, pricker, prod). (various references) mynawyd. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Sumerian | 3100 BCE-2500 BCE | 1. bulug. (various references) |
| Old English | 450-1100 | awel. (various references) |
| Old French | 900-1400 | broche. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Exodus Chapter 21, Verse 6 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Prosaxei auton o kurioV autou proV to krithrion tou qeou kai tote prosaxei auton epi thn quran epi ton staqmon kai truphsei autou o kurioV to ouV tw ophtiw kai douleusei autw eiV ton aiwna |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Offeret eum dominus diis et adplicabitur ad ostium et postes perforabitque aurem eius subula et erit ei servus in saeculum |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | And he shal be presentid to the dore, and postes; and he shal thril his eer with an alle, and he shal be to hym a seruaunt into the world. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | Then let his master bringe him vnto the Goddes ad set him to the doore or the dorepost, ad bore his eare thorow with a naule, ad let him be his servaunte for euer. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | Then his master shall bring him to the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or to the door-post: and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | Then his master is to take him to the gods of the house, and at the door, or at its framework, he is to make a hole in his ear with a sharp-pointed instrument; and he will be his servant for ever. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Exodus Chapter 21, Verse 6 |
| Cebuano | Nan pagadad-on siya sa iyang agalon ngadto sa Dios, ug pagadad-on siya ngadto sa pultahan kun ngadto sa haligi sa pultahan; ug ang iyang agalon magapalungag sa iyang dalunggan sa hilihod, ug siya maiyang alagad nga sa walay katapusan. |
| Croatian | neka ga onda njegov gospodar dovede k Bogu. Kad ga dovede k vratima ili dovratku, neka mu gospodar šilom probuši uho i neka mu trajno ostane u službi. |
| Danish | da skal hans Herre føre ham hen til Gud og stille ham op ad Døren eller Dørstolpen, og hans Herre skal gennembore hans Øre med en Syl, og så skal han være hans Træl for Livstid. |
| Dutch | Zo zal hem zijn heer tot de goden brengen, daarna zal hij hem aan de deur, of aan den post brengen; en zijn heer zal hem met een priem zijn oor doorboren, en hij zal hem eeuwiglijk dienen. |
| Finnish | niin hänen isäntänsä vieköön hänet Jumalan eteen ja asettakoon hänet ovea tai pihtipieltä vasten, ja hänen isäntänsä lävistäköön hänen korvansa naskalilla, ja hän olkoon hänen orjansa ainiaan. |
| French | alors son maître le conduira devant Dieu, et le fera approcher de la porte ou du poteau, et son maître lui percera l`oreille avec un poinçon, et l`esclave sera pour toujours son service. |
| German | so bringe ihn sein Herr vor die "Götter" und halte ihn an die Tür oder den Pfosten und bohre ihm mit einem Pfriem durch sein Ohr, und er sei sein Knecht ewig. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | maka tuannya harus membawa dia ke tempat ibadat. Di sana budak itu disuruh berdiri bersandar pada pintu atau tiang pintu tempat ibadat, dan tuannya harus menindik telinga budak itu. Maka ia akan menjadi budaknya untuk seumur hidup. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | hendaklah tuannya membawa akan dia ke hadapan hakim, kemudian dibawa akan dia ke pintu rumahnya atau ke jenang pintunya, maka oleh tuannya akan ditindik terus telinganya dengan penggerek, lalu iapun akan jadi hambanya seumur hidupnya. |
| Italian | allora il suo padrone lo condurr davanti a Dio, lo far accostare al battente o allo stipite della porta e gli forer l'orecchio con la lesina; quegli sar suo schiavo per sempre. |
| Maori | Na, me kawe ia e tona ariki ki te Atua; me kawe hoki ia e ia ki te tatau, ki te pou ranei o te tatau: a ka pokaia tona taringa e tona ariki ki te oka; a ka oti iho ia hei kaimahi mana. |
| Norwegian | da skal hans herre føre ham frem for Gud* og stille ham ved døren eller ved dørstolpen, og hans herre skal stikke en syl gjennem hans øre, og han skal tjene ham all sin tid. # <* d.e. de av Gud innsatte dommere.> |
| Portuguese | então seu senhor o levará perante os juízes, e o fará chegar porta, ou ao umbral da porta, e o seu senhor lhe furará a orelha com uma sovela; e ele o servirá para sempre. |
| Rumanian | atunci stqpknul lui sq -l ducq knaintea lui Dumnezeu, sq -l apropie de uwq sau de stklpul uwii, wi stqpknul lui sq -i gqureascq urechea cu o sulq, wi robul sq rqmknq pentru totdeauna kn slujba lui. |
| Russian | ФП ХУФШ ЗПУ П"ЙО ЕЗП ТЙЧЕ"ЕФ ЕЗП ТЕ" 'ПЗПЧ Й ПУФБЧЙФ ЕЗП Л "ЧЕТЙ, ЙМЙ Л ЛПУСЛХ, Й ТПЛПМЕФ ЕНХ ЗПУ П"ЙО ЕЗП ХИП ЫЙМПН, Й ПО ПУФБОЕФУС ТБ'ПН ЕЗП ЧЕЮОП. |
| Spanish | entonces su amo lo acercará ante los jueces, lo acercará a la puerta o al poste de la puerta y le horadará la oreja con una lezna. Y le servirá para siempre. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "awl": awless, awls, awlwort, awlworts. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "awl": bawl, becrawl, bradawl, brawl, crawl, drawl, outbawl, outbrawl, outcrawl, pawl, scrawl, shawl, sprawl, trawl, wawl, yawl. (additional references) | |
Words containing "awl": bawled, bawler, bawlers, bawling, bawls, becrawled, becrawling, becrawls, bradawls, brawled, brawler, brawlers, brawlie, brawlier, brawliest, brawling, brawls, brawly, clawless, clawlike, crawled, crawler, crawlers, crawlier, crawliest, crawling, crawls, crawlspace, crawlspaces, crawlway, crawlways, crawly, drawled, drawler, drawlers, drawlier, drawliest, drawling, drawlingly, drawls, drawly, flawless, flawlessly, flawlessness, flawlessnesses, jawlike, jawline, jawlines, lawless, lawlessly, lawlessness. (additional references) | |
| |
"Awl" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aal, abl, acwo, adl, ael, afl, agl, agw, Agwi, ahl, aiw, alw, alwa, Alwrld, aol, apl, arl, atl, Atwal, aul, auw, avl, awa, awal, Awali, awb, awd, awdl, awel, awf, awg, awi, awil, awk, awld, awm, awo, awol, awr, awt, awu, awv, aww, axl, ayl, azl, dawl, Eswl, ewl, gawl, i-wb, iwl, jawl, Qawi, qwol, uw, wa, wal. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| Words ending with "Awl": Crawl, Nawl, sprawl, Wrawl. (additional references) |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: law. | |
| Words within the letters "a-l-w" | |
-1 letter: al, aw, la. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-l-w" | |
+1 letter: alow, awls, awol, bawl, blaw, claw, flaw, lawn, laws, pawl, slaw, wail, wale, walk, wall, waly, waul, wawl, weal, yawl. | |
+2 letters: aglow, allow, alway, awful, awols, bawls, blawn, blaws, brawl, bylaw, claws, crawl, drawl, flaws, flawy, lawed, lawns, lawny, pawls, pilaw, rawly, shawl, slaws, swail, swale, trawl, wails, waldo, waled, waler, wales, walks, walla, walls, wally, waltz, wanly, wauls, wawls, weald, weals, whale, wheal, woald, yawls. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Commercial 4. Images: Slideshow | 5. Images: Photo Album 6. Usage Frequency 7. Expressions 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Translations: Ancient 11. Bible Trace 12. Abbreviations | 13. Acronyms 14. Derivations 15. Rhymes 16. Anagrams | 17. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.