Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Saw \Saw\, n. [OE. sawe, AS. sage; akin to D. zaag, G. s["a]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.

   Note: Saw is frequently used adjectively, or as the first
         part of a compound.

   {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} (Zo["o]l.), the great titmouse; -- so named
      from its harsh call note. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Saw whetter} (Zo["o]l.), the marsh titmouse ({Parus
      palustris}); -- so named from its call note. [Prov. Eng.]

Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, a. [L. circularis, fr. circulus circle:
   cf. F. circulaire. See {Circle}.]
   1. In the form of, or bounded by, a circle; round.

   2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point
      of beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular
      reasoning.

   3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence,
      mean; inferior. See {Cyclic poets}, under {Cyclic}.

            Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered
            to history, how could the Romans have had Dido?
                                                  --Dennis.

   4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a
      common interest; circulated, or intended for circulation;
      as, a circular letter.

            A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless
            circular throughout England.          --Hallam.

   5. Perfect; complete. [Obs.]

            A man so absolute and circular In all those
            wished-for rarities that may take A virgin captive.
                                                  --Massinger.

   {Circular are}, any portion of the circumference of a circle.
      

   {Circular cubics} (Math.), curves of the third order which
      are imagined to pass through the two circular points at
      infinity.

   {Circular functions}. (Math.) See under {Function}.

   {Circular instruments}, mathematical instruments employed for
      measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round
      the whole circumference of a circle, or 360[deg].

   {Circular lines}, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as
      sines, tangents, secants, etc.

   {Circular} {note or letter}.
      (a) (Com.) See under {Credit}.
      (b) (Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a
          number of persons.

   {Circular numbers} (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in
      the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose
      squares are 25 and 36. --Bailey. --Barlow.

   {Circular points at infinity} (Geom.), two imaginary points
      at infinite distance through which every circle in the
      plane is, in the theory of curves, imagined to pass.

   {Circular polarization}. (Min.) See under {Polarization}.

   {Circular or Globular} {sailing} (Naut.), the method of
      sailing by the arc of a great circle.

   {Circular saw}. See under {Saw}.

Source : WordNet®

circular saw
     n : a power saw that has a steel disk with cutting teeth on the
         periphery; rotates on a spindle [syn: {buzz saw}]