scroll saw
    n 1: fine-toothed power saw with a narrow blade; used to cut
         curved outlines [syn: jigsaw, scroll saw, fretsaw]

Saw \Saw\, n. [OE. sawe, AS. sage; akin to D. zaag, G. s[aum]ge,
   OHG. sega, saga, Dan. sav, Sw. s[*a]g, Icel. s["o]g, L.
   secare to cut, securis ax, secula sickle. Cf. Scythe,
   Sickle, Section, Sedge.]
   An instrument for cutting or dividing substances, as wood,
   iron, etc., consisting of a thin blade, or plate, of steel,
   with a series of sharp teeth on the edge, which remove
   successive portions of the material by cutting and tearing.
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   Note: Saw is frequently used adjectively, or as the first
         part of a compound.
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   Band saw, Crosscut saw, etc. See under Band,
      Crosscut, etc.

   Circular saw, a disk of steel with saw teeth upon its
      periphery, and revolved on an arbor.

   Saw bench, a bench or table with a flat top for for sawing,
      especially with a circular saw which projects above the
      table.

   Saw file, a three-cornered file, such as is used for
      sharpening saw teeth.

   Saw frame, the frame or sash in a sawmill, in which the
      saw, or gang of saws, is held.

   Saw gate, a saw frame.

   Saw gin, the form of cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney, in
      which the cotton fibers are drawn, by the teeth of a set
      of revolving circular saws, through a wire grating which
      is too fine for the seeds to pass.

   Saw grass (Bot.), any one of certain cyperaceous plants
      having the edges of the leaves set with minute sharp
      teeth, especially the Cladium Mariscus of Europe, and
      the Cladium effusum of the Southern United States. Cf.
      Razor grass, under Razor.

   Saw log, a log of suitable size for sawing into lumber.

   Saw mandrel, a mandrel on which a circular saw is fastened
      for running.

   Saw pit, a pit over which timbor is sawed by two men, one
      standing below the timber and the other above. --Mortimer.

   Saw sharpener (Zool.), the great titmouse; -- so named from
      its harsh call note. [Prov. Eng.]

   Saw whetter (Zool.), the marsh titmouse (Parus
      palustris); -- so named from its call note. [Prov. Eng.]
      

   Scroll saw, a ribbon of steel with saw teeth upon one edge,
      stretched in a frame and adapted for sawing curved
      outlines; also, a machine in which such a saw is worked by
      foot or power.
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Scroll \Scroll\, n. [A dim. of OE. scroue, scrowe (whence E.
   escrow), OF. escroe, escroue, F. ['e]crou entry in the jail
   book, LL. scroa scroll, probably of Teutonic origin; cf. OD.
   schroode a strip, shred, slip of paper, akin to E. shred. Cf.
   Shred, Escrow.]
   1. A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a
      roll; a schedule; a list.
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            The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll.
                                                  --Isa. xxxiv.
                                                  4.
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            Here is the scroll of every man's name. --Shak.
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   2. (Arch.) An ornament formed of undulations giving off
      spirals or sprays, usually suggestive of plant form. Roman
      architectural ornament is largely of some scroll pattern.
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   3. A mark or flourish added to a person's signature, intended
      to represent a seal, and in some States allowed as a
      substitute for a seal. [U.S.] --Burrill.
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   4. (Geom.) Same as Skew surface. See under Skew.
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   Linen scroll (Arch.) See under Linen.

   Scroll chuck (Mach.), an adjustable chuck, applicable to a
      lathe spindle, for centering and holding work, in which
      the jaws are adjusted and tightened simultaneously by
      turning a disk having in its face a spiral groove which is
      entered by teeth on the backs of the jaws.

   Scroll saw. See under Saw.
      [1913 Webster]