DEVIL DICTIONARY
saw
n. A trite popular saying, or proverb. (Figurative and
colloquial.) So called because it makes its way into a wooden head.
Following are examples of old saws fitted with new teeth.
A penny saved is a penny to squander.
A man is known by the company that he organizes.
A bad workman quarrels with the man who calls him that.
A bird in the hand is worth what it will bring.
Better late than before anybody has invited you.
Example is better than following it.
Half a loaf is better than a whole one if there is much else.
Think twice before you speak to a friend in need.
What is worth doing is worth the trouble of asking somebody to
do it.
Least said is soonest disavowed.
He laughs best who laughs least.
Speak of the Devil and he will hear about it.
Of two evils choose to be the least.
Strike while your employer has a big contract.
Where there's a will there's a won't.
THESAURUS
saw
Vandyke edge, adage, amputate, ana, analects, aphorism, apothegm, ax, axiom, backsaw, band
saw, belt
saw, bisect, bow, bow
saw, bucksaw, butcher, buzz
saw, byword, carve, catchword, chain
saw, chop, circular
saw, cleave, cockscomb, collected sayings, compass
saw, coping
saw, cordwood
saw, crenation, crenelation, crenulation, crest, crosscut
saw, current saying, cut, cut away, cut in two, cut off, deckle edge, denticulation, dentil, dentil band, diamond
saw, dichotomize, dictate, dictum, dissever, distich, dogtooth, double-cut
saw, dovetail
saw, epigram, excise, expression, fiddle, fissure, frame
saw, fretsaw, gash, gnome, golden saying, hack, hacksaw, halve, handsaw, helicoidal
saw, hew, incise, jigsaw, keyhole
saw, lance, maxim, meat
saw, mill
saw, moral, mot, motto, notching, oracle, panel
saw, pare, phrase, pit
saw, pithy saying, play violin, portable
saw, power
saw, precept, prescript, proverb, proverbial saying, proverbs, prune, pruning
saw, rend, rickrack, ripsaw, rive, rock
saw,
saw knife,
saw machine,
saw teeth, saying, scallop, scissor, scrape, scribe
saw, scroll
saw, sentence, sententious expression, serration, sever, slash, slice, slit, sloka, snip, split, splitsaw, stock saying, sunder, sutra, table
saw, teaching, tear, text, two-handed
saw, verse, vertical
saw, whipsaw, whittle, wire
saw, wisdom, wisdom literature, wise saying, witticism, wood
saw, word, words of wisdom
ROGET THESAURUS
saw
Disjunction
VB
be disjoined, come off, fall off, come to pieces, fall to pieces, peel off, get loose, disjoin, disconnect, disengage, disunite, dissociate, dispair, divorce, part, dispart, detach, separate, cut off, rescind, segregate, set apart, keep apart, insulate, isolate, throw out of gear, cut adrift, loose, unloose, undo, unbind, unchain, unlock, unpack, unravel, disentangle, set free, sunder, divide, subdivide, sever, dissever, abscind, circumcise, cut, incide, incise,
saw, snip, nib, nip, cleave, rive, rend, slit, split, splinter, chip, crack, snap, break, tear, burst, rend, rend asunder, rend in twain, wrench, rupture, shatter, shiver, cranch, crunch, craunch, chop, cut up, rip up, hack, hew, slash, whittle, haggle, hackle, discind, lacerate, scamble, mangle, gash, hash, slice, cut up, carve, dissect, anatomize, dislimb, take to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, tear to pieces, tear to tatters, tear piecemeal, tear limb from limb, divellicate, skin, disintegrate, dismember, disbranch, disband, disperse, dislocate, disjoint, break up, mince, comminute, apportion, part, part company, separate, leave.
Notch
N
notch, dent, nick, cut, indent, indentation, dimple, embrasure, battlement, machicolation,
saw, tooth, crenelle, scallop, scollop, vandyke, depression, jag, notched, crenate, crenated, dentate, dentated, denticulate, denticulated, toothed, palmated, serrated.
Maxim
N
maxim, aphorism, apothegm, apophthegm, dictum, saying, adage,
saw, proverb, sentence, mot, motto, word, byword, moral, phylactery, protasis, axiom, theorem, scholium, truism, postulate, first principles, a priori fact, assumption (supposition), reflection, conclusion, golden rule, principle, principia, profession of faith, settled principle, accepted principle, formula, accepted fact, received truth, wise maxim, sage maxim, received maxim, admitted maxim, recognized maxim, true saying, common saying, hackneyed saying, trite saying, commonplace saying, aphoristic, proverbial, phylacteric, axiomatic, gnomic, as the saying goes, as the saying is, as they say.