DictionaryhorseSupporting frame
noun

horse

A raised frame that supports weight above the ground.

Two wooden horses support the boards while I cut them.

Etymology

The animal name was applied to a support with legs that carries a load. A sawhorse or similar frame performs that supporting role above the ground.

More examples

  • We lay the door across two horses before painting it.
  • This metal horse keeps the long pipe off the floor.
  • The gymnast swings his legs over the padded horse.

Forms

horse · horses

sawhorse noun — A frame that supports wood for cutting.

Similar words

stand
A broader term for structures that hold objects up.
trestle
Usually a braced frame supporting a table or platform.