# daw

/ˈdɔ/ (US) · /dˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/daw
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. music software

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

Stands for Digital Audio Workstation. It is the computer software musicians use to record, edit, and produce music files.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Digital Audio Workstation. A software application or electronic device used for recording, editing, and producing audio files.

- He spent the afternoon learning how to use his new DAW to record his guitar.
- Modern music production relies heavily on the DAW, which integrates virtual instruments, mixing consoles, and multitrack recording into a single interface.

Usage: Usually pronounced as a single word /dɔː/ or as individual letters D-A-W.

### 2. the bird

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a small black and grey bird in the crow family, usually called a jackdaw.

For teachers: A common name for the western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula), a passerine bird in the crow family.

- The old daw sat on the stone wall, watching the garden for food.
- In the poem, the daw is depicted as a clever thief, nesting in the high crevices of the cathedral tower.

### 3. to dawn

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

to begin to grow light in the morning as the sun rises.

For teachers: To dawn; to begin the transition from night to morning.

- The day began to daw over the hills, waking the birds in the trees.
- As the sky began to daw, the weary travelers finally reached the safety of the village gates.

### 4. a foolish person

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a person who is not very smart or who acts like a fool.

For teachers: A simpleton or a fool.

- He was known as a bit of a daw who believed every trick played on him.
- The play features a classic daw character whose misunderstandings drive the comedic plot forward.

## Examples

- The daw nested in the old church tower.
- In the village, the old farmers still referred to the jackdaw simply as a daw when they saw it in the fields.
- The poet used the image of a daw to symbolise a foolish person who tries to appear more important by wearing borrowed feathers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.