# sawn

/sˈɔːn/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sawn
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

to have cut wood or other material with a saw. You use it with 'have', as in 'have sawn'.

For teachers: the past participle of 'saw'; refers to having cut material with a toothed saw.

## Examples

- He has sawn the wood into small pieces.
- The carpenter has sawn the oak boards to size for the new shelves.
- The timber merchant explained that freshly sawn oak must season for months before it can be planed into furniture.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I have saw the wood" but "I have sawn the wood" — Perfect tenses require the past participle 'sawn', not the past simple 'saw'.

## Usage notes

- Past participle of 'saw'; 'sawn' is standard in British English, while American English often uses 'sawed'.

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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.