Meanings
nounbradawl (plural bradawls)
plural bradawls
- An awl with a blade similar to a small, straight screwdriver; used for making holes, especially in wood to take screws.
‘I wish I wos behind him vith a bradawl,’ muttered the long one.
1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers 361 more example
For the first adjustment [to a door that keeps swinging open], you might need to remove the screws from the frame, move the hinge slightly, and then make new screw holes with a bradawl and reinsert the screws.
2016 January 30, Jeff Howell, “Swinging doors: it's not open and shut”, in The Daily Telegraph (Property), page 15
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Polish szydło, przebijak
- szydłoA tool used for making holes
- przebijakA tool used for making holes
Portuguese bradal
- bradalA tool used for making holes
Cite this entry
APA
bradawl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bradawl
MLA
“bradawl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bradawl. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bradawl,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bradawl.
Source: bradawl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.