saw

*against the grain 

1. Lit. across the alignment of the fibers of a piece of wood. (*Typically: be ~; Cut ~; go ~; run ~; saw ~.) You sawed it wrong. You sawed against the grain when you should have cut with grain. You went against the grain and made a mess of your sanding.

2. Fig. running counter to one's feelings or ideas. (*Typically: be ~; go ~.) The idea of my actually taking something that is not mine goes against the grain.

See also: against, grain

could fight a circle-saw (and it a-runnin')

Rur. eager to fight. He was so mad he could fight a circle-saw and it a-runnin'. She's a good watchdog. She could fight a circle-saw.

See also: could, fight

saw something (up) (into something)

to cut something up into pieces with a saw. Jake sawed the logs up into pieces the right size for the fireplace. Would you saw up the logs into smaller pieces?

saw something down

to cut something down with a saw. We are going to have to saw that dead tree down before it falls on the house. I'll saw down the tree.

saw something off (of) something and saw something off

to cut something off something with a saw. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) He sawed the branch off of the tree. Sam sawed the dead branch off. Saw off another branch on the other side.

saw into something

to cut into something with a saw. The carpenter sawed into the beam and had it cut in two in no time at all. Be careful not to saw into the table.

saw through something

to cut through something with a saw. I can't saw through this wood. It's too hard! I can saw through it!

See also: through