“Sawbuck” is a slang word for a ten-dollar bill or the amount of ten dollars. It is an old-fashioned American term, but people may still hear it in stories, movies, or casual speech.
In real life, people use “sawbuck” mostly when talking about money in a casual or playful way. For example, someone might say, “That costs a sawbuck,” meaning it costs $10. It is not common in everyday modern English, but it can still show up in informal conversation.
Meaning & Usage
“Sawbuck” means $10. The word comes from the shape of the Roman numeral X, which looks like a sawbuck used for holding wood. Because of that shape, people started using “sawbuck” as slang for a ten-dollar bill.
Examples
“I only need a sawbuck to pay for lunch.”
“He lent me a sawbuck to cover the cab fare.”
Is “sawbuck” still used today?
Yes, but not often. Most people use “ten bucks” or “$10” instead. “Sawbuck” sounds old-fashioned or playful.
Where did the word come from?
It comes from the look of the letter X, which was printed on old ten-dollar bills and also resembled a sawbuck frame.
Can “sawbuck” mean anything else?
Usually it means ten dollars. In some contexts, it can also refer to an X-shaped wooden support, but the money meaning is the most common.
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