Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

awl

/oːl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.41 in modern English

Syllables: awl
IPA: /oːl/

6

Scrabble Score

3

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.

noun

Any of various hesperiid butterflies.

adj

Alternative form of AWOL (“absent without leave”).

name

Initialism of Alliance for Workers' Liberty.

British usage

Example Sentences

"He dressed himself in some old ragged clothes, and took a tame white bear, which he had, with him, as well as an awl, some pitch, and twine."

Etymology

From Middle English aul, alle, al, from Old English æl, from Proto-West Germanic *al, from Proto-Germanic *alaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ólos. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Äil (“awl”), Dutch aal (“awl”), German Low German Ahl (“awl”), German Ahle (“awl”), Icelandic alur (“awl”). Spelling was influenced by the Old English synonym awel, awul (“awl”), from Proto-West Germanic *ahwal, from Proto-Germanic *ahwalaz (“fork, hook”), of unknown origin. Doublet of elsen.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: aul, æl, *al, *alaz, *h₁ólos, *ahwal

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /oːl/
British English: /ɔːl/

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

awls (plural)

Derived Forms

awlbill awlet awllike awlwort bradawl

Phrases

awl-fly

Homonyms

all

Rhymes With

all at all small call tell all fall lol wall ball paul y'all overall

Questions

How do you pronounce awl?: The recorded pronunciation is /oːl/.
What does awl mean?: A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.
Where does awl come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce awl

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “awl”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/oːl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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