noun
saw
A familiar saying or proverb.
The old saw warns against counting chickens before they hatch.
Etymology
The Old English source means a saying or account. Saw specialized to a familiar traditional saying, separate from the cutting tool.
More examples
- He repeated a familiar saw.
- That saw has guided her for years.
- The essay questions an ancient saw.
Forms
saw · saws
Similar words
- proverb
- The usual term for a traditional saying.