tool

tool

1. 

a. an implement, such as a hammer, saw, or spade, that is used by hand

b. a power-driven instrument; machine tool

2. the cutting part of such an instrument

3. 

a. any of the instruments used by a bookbinder to impress a design on a book cover

b. a design so impressed

4. anything used as a means of performing an operation or achieving an end

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

tool

[tül]

(engineering)

Any device, instrument, or machine for the performance of an operation, for example, a hammer, saw, lathe, twist drill, drill press, grinder, planer, or screwdriver.

(industrial engineering)

To equip a factory or industry for production by designing, making, and integrating machines, machine tools, and special dies, jigs, and instruments, so as to achieve manufacture and assembly of products on a volume basis at minimum cost.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

tool

(tool)

A program used primarily to create, manipulate, modify, or analyse other programs, such as a compiler or an editor or a cross-referencing program. Opposite: app, operating system.

tool

(2)

A Unix application program with a simple, "transparent" (typically text-stream) interface designed specifically to be used in programmed combination with other tools (see filter, plumbing).

tool

(jargon)

(MIT: general to students there) To work; to study (connotes tedium). The TMRC Dictionary defined this as "to set one's brain to the grindstone". See hack.

tool

(jargon, person)

(MIT) A student who studies too much and hacks too little. MIT's student humour magazine rejoices in the name "Tool and Die".

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

tool

(1) A program used for software development or system maintenance. Virtually any program or utility that helps programmers or users develop applications or maintain their computers can be called a tool. Examples of programming tools are compilers, interpreters, assemblers, 4GLs, editors, debuggers and application generators. See toolkit.

(2) A program that helps the user analyze or search for data. For example, query and report programs are often called query tools and report tools.

(3) An on-screen function in a graphics program; for example, a line draw, circle draw or brush tool.

(4) A software control panel for setting user preferences. See tools menu.

(5) Sometimes, people will call any software a "tool." For example, the phrase, "there aren't any tools to do that job" means that no application is available to perform the required processing.

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.