A tool with a small, sharp, pointed tip used to make holes in wood before driving in nails or screws to prevent splitting.
From 'brad' (a thin nail, possibly from Old Norse 'broddr') + 'awl' (a pointed tool for making holes). This tool has been in use since at least the 1800s in woodworking.
Carpenters still use bradawls today—it's a simple tool that's remained essentially unchanged for over a century because the design is so efficient!
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