Sawhorse
/ˈsɔːˌhɔːrs/noun
A frame with crossed legs used to support wood or other materials for sawing.
Did you know?The word is a straightforward compound of *saw* + *horse*; the “horse” part is old English workshop slang for a support or trestle, not an actual animal, though the image of a beast carrying the load made the term stick.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
sagu
“a saw; an instrument for cutting”
Old English
OE
hors
“a horse; also used in compounds for a support or framework”
Middle English
ME
saw hors
“a trestle or support for sawing wood”
17th Century
English
saw-horse
“a wooden support used by carpenters and sawyers”
Modern English
English
sawhorse
“a portable frame used to support material being cut or worked on”