n (1)工具(any instrument held in the hand and used to do work or perform a task with)[C]：Hammers，saws and screwdrivers are～s. 锤子、锯和螺丝起子都是工具。garden～s园艺工具;〖同〗instrument，appliance，device;

(2)用(器)具(anything regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one's occupation or profession)[C]：(advertising) be a powerful/necessary/useful～(广告)是有力的传媒/必要的手段/有用的工具;Words are the～s of his trade. 语言是他做生意的手段。Books are the～s of this scholar. 书是这位学者的工具。give the government fiscal/monetary～s to stop inflation 给政府以财政/金融手段来扼制通货膨胀;give the government necessary～s for winning the war 给政府以必要的手段来赢得这场战争;

(3)为人利用的工具(person used to carry out the designs of another)[C]：be a～(in the hands) of the secret police/governor/military government/evil people 是秘密警察/州长/军政府/坏人的工具;Army officers were mere～s in the hands of the Prime Minister. 军官们只是内阁总理手中的工具而已。

vt (在书籍封面)上压印图案(work decoratively with a heated tool on the cover or binding of a book)[T+n，尤pass]：～a pattern onto the cover of the book 在书的封面上压印出图样;The cover of the book is～ed in gold. 书的封面烫了金字。

tool up(v adv)用机器装备(工厂)(vi & vt)：Our factory is just～ing up and will start production in June. 我们厂正在装备机器，6月份开始生产。～up a power plant/war industries 装备发电厂/军事工业;

【辨异】tool 与apparatus、appliance、device、instrument和machine的区别见APPARATUS。