1. a large saw operated by two people, one standing above and one in a pit below a log, used to cut timber lengthwise
Usage: historical; also called a pit saw or whipsaw

1. to cut (wood) with a pitsaw
Usage: historical; transitive

Examples

• The carpenter used a pitsaw to split the oak log into planks.
• Two workers pitsawed the timber in the sawpit for hours.
• Before modern mills, pitsaws were essential tools for lumber production.
• The pitsaw required coordination between the top and bottom sawyers.
• They pitsawed the beam to the required thickness for the building frame.