Tools facilitate the development of mechanical tasks.
From the Latin ferramenta , a tool is an instrument that allows certain jobs to be carried out. These objects were designed to facilitate the performance of a mechanical task that requires the use of a certain force . The screwdriver , pliers and hammer are tools.
For example: “I need a tool to remove this screw and install the new countertop,” “Please bring my toolbox so we can try to fix the blender,” “Without the right tool, it will be impossible to accomplish this task.”
The origins of the tools
Already in Prehistory it must be emphasized that our ancestors saw the need to build their own tools to be able to carry out tasks such as making fire, hunting, gathering...
All of them have evolved to adapt to the times and others have also emerged according to the needs of each moment.
It should be noted that many believe that humans are the only ones capable of creating and using tools. However, there are other animals that also appeal to tools. Some primates use stones to open coconuts or sticks to remove insects from tree holes.
Its use at work
Tools are also the specific utensils that artisans or other workers use to carry out their specialized tasks: "My aunt makes crafts and has a lot of tools to create her works" , "The teacher asked me for a tool to work with wood" .
Currently there are very specific tools for different areas. Thus, for example, in the case of the carpenter, the saw, the sandpaper or the handsaw should be highlighted. While in the case of the gardener, he will use scissors, lawnmower, shovel, pickaxe...
Many workers use tools on a daily basis.
Tangible and intangible tools
However, it should not be overlooked that in the most colloquial sphere the term tool is used with a wide variety of meanings. Thus, it is usually used as a synonym for a knife, the horns of some animals or even the teeth.
The word in question has more uses in the economic, business and financial spheres. In this case, it is used with the clear purpose of mentioning the instruments, tangible or intangible, that are possessed to be able to carry out a project and to achieve specific results.
This means, for example, that when talking about entrepreneurs it is established that they have a series of tools to launch their businesses, changes and initiatives. Among them would be the business plan, the self-assessment, the business model, your ideas, the analysis of the market in which you are integrated or your entrepreneurial attitudes.
The notion in computing
Beyond the physical object , the concept of tool is also used to name any procedure that improves the ability to perform certain tasks . In this way, it is possible to talk about computer tools : "Microsoft Office is a tool for carrying out office tasks."
It should be noted that, according to this broader use of the term, the definition that highlights that the tool is a means for the controlled application of energy is left aside. With a computer tool, the human being does not exert any type of force.