serra de arco / serra de fita / serra tico-tico
1. A fine-toothed saw with a thin blade held under tension in a frame, used for cutting intricate curves and patterns in wood, metal, or other materials
The craftsman used a fretsaw to cut delicate scrollwork patterns in the wooden box.
O artesão usou uma serra de arco para cortar padrões delicados de arabescos na caixa de madeira.
2. A power tool version of the traditional hand fretsaw, commonly used in woodworking and jewelry making
She operated the electric fretsaw to create intricate designs in the metal sheet.
Ela operava a serra tico-tico elétrica para criar designs intrincados na folha de metal.
The fretsaw is a traditional tool deeply rooted in European woodworking and jewelry-making crafts. In Brazil, the term 'serra tico-tico' (onomatopoeia mimicking the saw's sound) is particularly popular for electric versions, reflecting the Brazilian tendency to use descriptive, sound-based terminology. The tool remains essential in both hobbyist and professional craftwork communities across English and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →