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pliers

/ˈplaɪərz/
/ˈplaɪəz/
IPA guide

A pair of pliers is a tool that you can use to twist metal or to grip a tiny object. Jewelry makers often use small, narrow pliers to bend thin pieces of wire.

There are many different types of pliers that do various jobs, from large, wrench-like pliers that plumbers use on pipes to tiny "needle-nose pliers" that electricians can fit into narrow spaces and grip small wires. Why pliers always come in "pairs" like jeans, eyeglasses, and scissors is a bit of a mystery. The word stems from the verb ply, "work with" or "use."

Definitions of pliers
  1. noun
    a gripping hand tool with two hinged arms and (usually) serrated jaws
    synonyms: pair of pliers, plyers
    see moresee less
    types:
    locking pliers
    pliers that can be locked in place
    needlenose pliers
    small pliers with long thin jaws for fine work
    pump-type pliers
    a type of pliers
    rib joint pliers
    a type of pliers
    slip-joint pliers
    pliers with a joint adjustable to two positions in order to increase the opening of the jaws
    type of:
    compound lever
    a pair of levers hinged at the fulcrum
    hand tool
    a tool used with workers' hands
Pronunciation
US
/ˈplaɪərz/
UK
/ˈplaɪəz/
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