vise
n. countablen. a tool used to hold an object tightly in place while you work on it. It is usually made of metal and has two jaws that can be squeezed together.
n. a mechanical device used to hold an object firmly in place during a manufacturing or repair process. Often consists of two jaws that can be adjusted to apply pressure.
He clamped the wooden board in the vise before cutting it.
The mechanic used a heavy-duty vise to secure the engine block while he replaced the bolts.
Precision engineering requires a vise with a perfectly parallel grip to ensure that the component remains level and does not warp under the pressure of the clamping force.
From Middle English vis, vys, vice (“screw”), from Anglo-Norman vyz, vice, from Old French vis (“screw”), from Latin vītis f (“vine”). Probably akin to English withe.