So, someone calls you a tool, but you don’t know what tone was used. What is your first reaction, are you insulted or flattered?
I think it’s an insult. My cousin tried to explain to me that the insult began in New York and how if I ever heard it, that I should know that’s where it originated.
My cousin is a tool.
Definitely an insult. The OED takes it back as an insult to the 1600’s
Considering that it meant the male reproductive organ as early as the 1500’s, it isn’t surprising.
Also it’s likely to mean you’re a complaisant tool used by a manipulator. Ie, the mayor might be a tool of the capitalist bosses undermining the noble working classes, or whatever. No brains or character of his own, and harmful.
Definitely insulting, nowhere near complimentary.
You tool.
At MIT it meant (and probably still means) someone who spends excessive time studying. It was also used as a verb for studying “I have to tool for this exam.”
A junior who lived across the hall from me when I was a freshman used to say “tool it freshmen” - but we just laughed at him, because our year was the second with pass/fail.
So, to me it is not really an insult.
Insult - absolutely. Somehow equates with being called something equivalent to male genitalia.
There is quite a difference between the following parallel phrases:
“I can’t believe what a big tool you are.”
versus
“I can’t believe what a big tool you have.”
#1 – insult
#2 – compliment (unless it’s a prelude to saying “can we stop?”)
What about the band called Tool, their fans put the bumper sticker on the their cars.
There’s no way I’d drive around with the word TOOL written on the back of my car 
It depends on how it’s said… I call me friends tool’s all the time… they call me a tool… we laugh. It’s all in how it’s said… if it’s spit at you, then yeah…
btw, my favorite band is TOOL!
In my son’s circles (21 yr old college junior), it’s definitely a compliment. They are all techno-geeks and refer to each other as “tools” often. Hell, his girlfriend even calls him a tool when he’s fixing her PC.
A definite insult.
No self-respecting geek would allow himself to be called a tool.
As a noun, insult. Being called a tool is saying that I have no will of my own and allow myself to be manipulated.
As a verb, compliment. Being told that I’m tooling means that I’m moving impressively quickly through some task and not being tripped up by anything.
Before reading this thread, I’d never heard the word tool used in a complimentary light, ever…maybe it depends on where in the world you are? Perhaps the meaning varies based on the society. (I’m from Ohio, BTW). I’d think I’d been insulted…that it might have been a compliment wouldn’t even have entered my mind as an option.
It could be said in a friendly way to call you a dickhead. I’ve seen it used on TV (That 70’s show).
In my region:
“You’re a tool.” = “You’re a dick.”
Um, what?
I’ve always looked at the word “tool” as a funny insult, usually used with the word “Fricken,” as in, “What a fricken tool.” :rolleyes:
I am, on occasion, that tool, hence the name.