jackhammer

[ jak-ham-er ]

noun

1. a portable drill operated by compressed air and used to drill rock, break up pavement, etc.

jackhammer

/ ˈdʒækˌhæmə /

noun

1. a hand-held hammer drill, driven by compressed air, for drilling rocks, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of jackhammer¹

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; jack ¹ + hammer

Example Sentences

Led by Luis Chiappe, director of the Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Institute, the paleontologists return with generators and tents and jackhammers and dental picks.

From Los Angeles Times

We are on the set of “Tecto,” named for a superhero — played by Adam, who is played by Billy Magnussen — whose gimmicks are an “invisible jackhammer” and a glove that can cause earthquakes.

From Los Angeles Times

The technician positioned me to slide through the metal arc of an MRI machine while the sound of jackhammers pounded.

From Salon

The hard road to restoring the rule of law to which Trump has repeatedly taken a jackhammer is paved by enforcing the law.

From Salon

“Every morning you can feel the vibrations from the jackhammers and you see rocks tumbling down,” one woman told state broadcaster Rai.

From BBC