WHITTLING

Verb

whittling

present participle of whittle

Noun

whittling (plural whittlings)

(usually, in the plural) A chip or shaving whittled from some larger substance.

the art of carving shapes out of raw wood using a knife

a process of repeatedly shaving slivers from a piece of wood (non-artistic)

Source: Wiktionary

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WHITTLE

Whit"tle, n. Etym: [AS. hwitel, from hwit white; akin to Icel. hvitill a white bed cover. See White.] (a) A grayish, coarse double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the shoulders, like a cloak or shawl. C. Kingsley. (b) Same as Whittle shawl, below. Whittle shawl, a kind of fine woolen shawl, originally and especially a white one.

Whit"tle, n. Etym: [OE. thwitel, fr. AS. pwitan to cut. Cf. Thwittle, Thwaite a piece of ground.]

Definition: A knife; esp., a pocket, sheath, or clasp knife. "A butcher's whittle." Dryden. "Rude whittles." Macaulay. He wore a Sheffield whittle in his hose. Betterton.

Whit"tle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whittled; p. pr. & vb. n. Whittling.]

1. To pare or cut off the surface of with a small knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp knife or pocketknife.

2. To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited; esp., to excite with liquor; to inebriate. [Obs.] "In vino veritas." When men are well whittled, their tongues run at random. Withals.

Whit"tle, v. i.

Definition: To cut or shape a piece of wood with am small knife; to cut up a piece of wood with a knife. Dexterity with a pocketknife is a part of a Nantucket education; but I am inclined to think the propensity is national. Americans must and will whittle. Willis.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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