whittle

Word family

Related topics: Crafts

whit·tle /ˈwɪtl/ verb

1 REDUCE (also whittle down) [transitiveT] to gradually make something smaller by taking parts away 逐步减少，削弱；缩减

We need to whittle down the list of guests for the party.

我们需要缩减聚会的客人名单。

2. TICCUT[intransitiveI, transitiveT] to cut a piece of wood into a particular shape by cutting off small pieces with a knife 削(木头) → carve

3 whittle away phrasal verbphr v REDUCEto gradually reduce the amount or effectiveness of something, especially something that you think should not be reduced 削减，减少

whittle something ↔ away

The museum is worried that government funding will be whittled away.

博物馆担心政府拨款将会被削减。

Congress is whittling away at our freedom of speech.

国会正在逐步剥夺我们的言论自由。

Examples from the Corpus

whittle away• Ever since Donald had taken over the management of the company, Robert's role had been gradually whittled away.• Congress is whittling away at our civil liberties.• Under government ownership, the grazing land was gradually whittled away by privately owned farms.• Lawmakers have gradually whittled the programs funding away over the last few years.• Inflation has been whittling away the value of state pensions for the last fifteen years.

whittle at• Congress is whittling away at our freedom of speech.• They are behind federal agencies in other parts of the country and overseas in whittling away at piles of backlogged work.• And scurvy all the while whittled away at the crew, killing six to ten men every day.

Examples from the Corpus

whittle• He took out his penknife and began whittling a piece of wood.• The village was, as she had thought, a dump, where time was whittled away in some vintage manner.• Visitors can even whittle away time at the airport's 143 shops and 23 eateries while awaiting flights.• The list of candidates has been whittled down from 61 to 12.• Many of the recent suggestions for change have sought to whittle down that authority.• This is good because it allows you to whittle down those superior numbers.• That whittled the field down from the white pages of the Paris phone book.• Red and Roy whittle the lead back down to nine.

Origin whittle

(1500-1600) whittle “large knife” ((15-19 centuries)), from thwittle ((14-19 centuries)), from thwite “to whittle” ((11-19 centuries)), from Old English thwitan

whit·tle verb

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus

TOEFL BNC: 18676 COCA: 15062

whittle

The activity of making things from wood: carpentry, dovetail, joinery...

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