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# tool

«tool» in Mova's school dictionary: **an object you hold and use to do a job, like a hammer…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a tool, tools); verb (tool up — rare)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A tool is an object you hold and use to do a job, like a hammer, saw, screwdriver or spade. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#m1)

2) A tool is anything that helps you do something, like a computer program or a method. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#m2)

3) A tool (insult, informal) is a silly or unpleasant person. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In design and technology, tools must be used with care and with an adult: hold them correctly, keep blades away from you, put them away after use. In science, scientists use tools like thermometers, rulers and magnifying glasses to measure and observe; some animals (chimpanzees, crows) use tools too. In maths, a ruler, protractor and compass are tools. Phrases: tool box, garden tools, power tools, a useful tool.

### examples

- Dad keeps his tools in a tool box. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x1)
- A hammer is a tool for hitting nails. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x2)
- Use the right tool for the job. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x3)
- Chimpanzees use sticks as tools to catch termites. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x4)
- A protractor is a tool for measuring angles. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x5)
- Power tools are only for adults. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x6)
- Reading is a tool for learning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x7)
- Then the second miller's man laid aside his tool and looked up, [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/#x8)

### note

Countable: one tool, many tools. Power tools (drills, saws) can cause serious injury; children should not use them. Using "tool" to call someone a name is rude.

### In the corpora

- [Grown-ups help with tools: kids profiles, autoplay switched off, safe search, PINs and report buttons.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/60-next-time-switch-off-tell-and-parental-controls/9/)
- [No tool is perfect, so the two steps still matter, and an accident never changes who you are.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/60-next-time-switch-off-tell-and-parental-controls/10/)
- [Learn a skill first, then use tools to check it, the way you use a calculator.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/10-using-ai-to-learn-not-to-copy/9/)
- [AI detector tools are not always right and can wrongly accuse honest pupils.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/10-using-ai-to-learn-not-to-copy/14/)
- [Being open about how you used a tool is honest, and many teachers give credit for it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/11-school-rules-honesty-and-wrong-accusations/15/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «tool» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tool/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.