jigsaw
/ˈdʒɪɡsɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒɪɡsɔː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjig-ˌsȯ/ (ame, mw)
jigsaw — noun
- jigsawsingular
- jigsawsplural
1. a game in which a picture has been cut into many small, oddly shaped pieces that
a game in which a picture has been cut into many small, oddly shaped pieces that a player puts back together to make the whole picture again
Tariro spent the rainy afternoon doing a thousand-piece jigsaw of the Eiffel Tower.
collocation: do a jigsaw
The children worked together on a wooden jigsaw of farm animals after lunch.
Feng finally completed the difficult jigsaw of a starry night sky.
Grandma keeps an unfinished jigsaw of a lighthouse on her dining-room table.
Layla bought a jigsaw with five hundred pieces for her sister's birthday.
- jigsaw puzzle
the full, more explicit form; identical meaning
- puzzle
broader — covers crosswords and riddles too, not just the picture-piece kind
文法句型
do/complete + a jigsaw
a jigsaw of [number] pieces
用法筆記
Often used as a short form of 'jigsaw puzzle'; the two terms are interchangeable in this sense. Common verbs are 'do', 'complete', and 'finish'.
2. a confusing situation or question whose answer becomes clear only after many sep
a confusing situation or question whose answer becomes clear only after many separate pieces of information are brought together and viewed as a whole
Detective Eitan slowly put together the jigsaw of the missing painting case.
collocation: put together the jigsaw
Each witness statement was another piece of the jigsaw for the investigators.
pattern: piece of the jigsaw
Understanding the family's history is a jigsaw that has taken Ignacio years.
Climate change is a jigsaw of ocean, weather, and human factors that scientists are still assembling.
文法句型
the jigsaw of X
piece + of + the jigsaw
用法筆記
Almost always appears as a metaphor with verbs like 'piece together', 'assemble', or 'put together', or in the noun phrase 'piece of the jigsaw'. Distinguish from sense 1 by context — there is no physical puzzle involved.
3. a small powered saw whose thin, narrow blade moves rapidly up and down, designed
a small powered saw whose thin, narrow blade moves rapidly up and down, designed for cutting curved lines in wood, plastic, or thin metal
Hari used a jigsaw to cut a heart shape out of a pine board for his daughter.
pattern: use a jigsaw to cut + [shape]
A jigsaw with a fine blade works well for curved lines in plywood.
collocation: jigsaw with a [type] blade
Christopher borrowed a jigsaw from the workshop to finish his bedroom shelves.
Be sure to clamp the wood firmly before you start the jigsaw.
- saber saw
American name for the same tool
- scroll saw
similar but mounted on a table; not portable
文法句型
cut + with + a jigsaw
用法筆記
Often confused with 'scroll saw' (a stationary version) and 'jig saw' (an older two-word spelling for the same tool). The most common power tool of this name is hand-held.
常見錯誤
jigsaw — verb
- jigsawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- jigsaws3rd person singular
- jigsawing-ing form
- jigsawedpast simple
1. to cut something into a shape using a jigsaw, or in a way that looks as if a jig
to cut something into a shape using a jigsaw, or in a way that looks as if a jigsaw was used
Indra carefully jigsawed the letters of her son's name out of birch plywood.
pattern: jigsaw + [object] + out of + [material]
The artist jigsawed each tile into the shape of a maple leaf.
Élise jigsawed the wooden panel to fit around the curved doorframe.
Maeve jigsawed a small window into the side of the toy castle.
- saw
the general verb; doesn't specify the curved-cut tool
文法句型
jigsaw + [object] + [out of/into shape]
用法筆記
Rare in everyday speech — most speakers say 'cut with a jigsaw' instead. You will see this verb mainly in craft writing or DIY guides.
2. to place several things so that they meet and lock into each other, the way the
to place several things so that they meet and lock into each other, the way the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle do
The builders jigsawed the stone slabs together to make a smooth garden path.
collocation: jigsaw together
Eric jigsawed the wooden tiles to fit around the kitchen pillar.
Madison jigsawed the small leather scraps into a colourful patchwork bag.
Minh jigsawed the broken cup pieces together with clear glue.
- fit together
the everyday phrasal verb most speakers would use instead
- interlock
describes the result rather than the action
文法句型
jigsaw + [objects] + together
用法筆記
Rare and largely figurative. Distinguish from sense 1 (verb/1) — sense 1 uses a saw to make a shape; this sense arranges existing shapes so they meet exactly.
jigsaw — adjective
- jigsawpositive
- more jigsawcomparative
- most jigsawsuperlative
1. looking or arranged like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle — many small shapes joine
looking or arranged like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle — many small shapes joined to form a larger pattern
Yasmin admired the jigsaw pattern on the old church floor.
collocation: jigsaw pattern
The map of the kingdom showed a jigsaw arrangement of tiny villages and rivers.
Anong's quilt had a jigsaw design of green and gold fabric squares.
The broken ice on the pond formed a jigsaw layer over the dark water.
文法句型
jigsaw + [noun]
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive). Common nouns it modifies include 'pattern', 'design', 'arrangement', and 'puzzle' (in 'jigsaw puzzle' — the most familiar form).