Mortise

Quick meaning: Mortise is a noun meaning (woodworking) A hole that is made to receive a tenon so as to form a joint.

Meaning

(woodworking) A hole that is made to receive a tenon so as to form a joint.

More Meanings

1. Stability; power of adhesion.
2. (transitive, woodworking) To cut a mortise in.
3. (transitive, woodworking) To join by a mortise and tenon.
4. (typography) To adjust the horizontal space between selected pairs of letters; to kern.

Example Sentences

If there is much gauging for the same size mortise and tenon to be done, and if a mortise gauge is not handy, a simple improvised gauge for the purpose can easily be made with two pieces of wood and four or five steel sprigs…

A keyed mortise-and-tenon joint is constructed the same as a doweled mortise and tenon joint except that the tenon projects far enough through the mortise to admit the insertion of a tapering key which draws the mortised piece firmly against the shoulder of the tenon.

Sculptures from Mohenjodaro and Tell Asmar in 2400 B.C. show wheels consisting of three pieces of wood mortised together, and bound with leather tyres which were attached with copper nails. These wheels turned in one piece with the axle, which was secured to the body of the sledge with leather thongs.

Word Forms

• mortises
• mortice
• mortising
• mortised

Synonyms for mortise

Depending on context, synonyms include mortice.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include mortice, tenon, haunched, dovetail, jointing, jointure.

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