1. Tool: This is the most common meaning. A trowel is a hand tool with a flat, pointed blade used for applying, spreading, or smoothing materials like mortar, plaster, or concrete.
* Bricklayer's trowel: This is the classic trowel with a flat, triangular blade.
* Pointing trowel: This trowel has a narrow, pointed blade used for finishing mortar joints between bricks.
* Margin trowel: This trowel has a wide, curved blade used for spreading large amounts of mortar.
2. Verb: "Trowel" can also be used as a verb meaning to apply or spread a material with a trowel.
* "He troweled the mortar onto the bricks."
3. Slang: In some contexts, "trowel" can be used as a slang term for a person who is clumsy or inept, particularly when using tools.
* "He's such a trowel, he couldn't even spread the butter on his toast properly."
Let me know if you have a specific context in mind and I can give you a more specific answer!