Tool vs Template - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between tool and template

is that tool is (mechanical device intended to make a task easier)A mechanical device intended to make a task easier while template is a physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.

As verbs the difference between tool and template

is that tool is to work on or shape with tools, e.g., hand-tooled leather while template is to set up or mark off using a template.

tool

English

(wikipedia tool)

Noun

(en noun)

(senseid)A mechanical device intended to make a task easier.

Equipment used in a profession, e.g., tools of the trade.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03, author=

, volume=100, issue=2, page=106, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Pixels or Perish , passage=Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.}}

Something to perform an operation; an instrument; a means.

* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Catherine Clabby

, magazine=(American Scientist), title= Focus on Everything , passage=Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus.

(computing) A piece of software used to develop software or hardware, or to perform low-level operations.

A person or group which is used or controlled, usually unwittingly, by another person or group.

(slang) Penis.

(by extension, slang, pejorative) An obnoxious or uptight person.

Synonyms

* See also * See also

Derived terms

* toolbar * toolbox * toolchain * tool chest * tooling * toolkit * toolless * toollike * toolmaker * toolset

Verb

(en verb)

To work on or shape with tools, e.g., hand-tooled leather .

To equip with tools.

To work very hard.

(slang) To put down another person (possibly in a subtle, hidden way), and in that way to use him or her to meet a goal.

Dude, he's not your friend. He's just tooling you.

(volleyball) To intentionally attack the ball so that it deflects off a blocker out of bounds.

(transitive, UK, slang, dated) To drive (a coach, etc.)

Synonyms

* (volleyball) use

Derived terms

* tool around

Anagrams

* *

References

1000 English basic words ----

template

English

(wikipedia template)

Noun

(en noun)

A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.

A generic model or pattern from which other objects are based or derived.

(molecular biology) A macromolecule which provides a pattern for the synthesis of another molecule.

* {{quote-journal, 2002, S. Lottin et al., Thioredoxin post-transcriptional regulation by H19 provides a new function to mRNA-like non-coding RNA, Nature, volume=21, issue=10 citation

, passage=Classically, the functional product of coding genes is a protein whose synthesis is directed by an mRNA-template .}}

Verb

(templat)

To set up or mark off using a .

* {{quote-book, 1994, Howard I. Chapelle, Boatbuilding citation

, passage=Only that part of the floor timber that bears on the planking and keel need be templated ;

To provide a template or pattern for.

* {{quote-journal, 2003, Yu Wang et al., Synthesis and characterization of a new layered gallium phosphate templated by cobalt complex, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, volume=170, issue=1, doi=10.1016/S0022-4596(02)00060-9

, passage=Metal phosphates that are templated by transition-metal complexes are rare.}}

Derived terms

* templater