Agency Dictionary

Sawhorse

nounPronunciation: /ˈsɔː.hɔːrs/

In Portuguese: Cavalete

Design

What does “Sawhorse” mean?

A four-legged wooden or metal trestle frame used to support lumber during sawing or to hold makeshift table surfaces. In photo studios, sawhorses serve as versatile modular tables.

Etymology

Compound of saw (the cutting tool, from Old English sagu) and horse used in the sense of a four-legged wooden support frame, as in clotheshorse and vaulting horse. The image of a sturdy four-legged structure carrying a load is shared by several European languages.

Usage note

In photography studios, sawhorses paired with a sheet of plywood serve as modular surfaces for tabletop setups without permanent installation.

Synonyms

trestle
sawbuck

Rhymes with

course
force
source

Concept

Tactile StagingTactile staging is the manual preparation and physical construction of studio backdrops, surfaces, and lighting props to support a photographic subject. In commercial…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Creative.8 - Keith RomanowskiJuly 24, 2023Read the edition

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