From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsawsaw1 /sɔː $ sɒː/ verb x-refthe past tense of see→ See Verb tablesawsaw2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 
TZa tool that you use for cutting wood. It has a flat blade with an edge cut into many V shapes.2 a short familiar phrase or sentence that is considered to contain some truth about life SYN proverb, saying That reminds me of the old saw about being careful about what you wish for.
TZa tool that you use for cutting wood. It has a flat blade with an edge cut into many V shapes.2 a short familiar phrase or sentence that is considered to contain some truth about life SYN proverb, saying That reminds me of the old saw about being careful about what you wish for.Examples from the Corpus
saw• Their versatility means a circular saw is not always needed.• In sum, their experience reverses the old saw about immigration and prosperity.• Now, over there are wheelbarrows, rakes, pitchforks, saws, the lot.• Albert stated, shook his head, and revved up the saw.• A metal L-shaped guide holds the work underneath a very thin saw blade, held between metal uprights.• All you hear now is the buzzing of those saws.old saw• Now that is no joke because one of these big old saws can weigh the best part of half a ton.• Which brings to mind that old saw about being careful what you wish for..• That reminds me of that old saw about being careful what you wish for.• How like you to produce that old saw out of your bag of tricks!• I am mindful of the old saw that economic policy is much too important to be left to the economists.• In sum, their experience reverses the old saw about immigration and prosperity.• There is no truth to the old saw that business is always more efficient than government, he has learned.• We all grew up with the old saw that a picture is worth a thousand words.sawsaw3 ●●○ verb (past tense sawed, past participle sawn /sɔːn $ sɒːn/ or sawed American English) [intransitive, transitive] TBCCUTto cut something using a saw She was in the backyard sawing logs.saw through He sawed through a power cable by mistake.► see thesaurus at cut → saw at something → saw something ↔ off → saw something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
saw• We had to saw the wood to the right length, and then nail the pieces together.• It took all morning to saw up the logs.saw through• The prisoners escaped by sawing through the bars in their cell.Origin saw2 Old English sagu 