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carve
To carve is to slice, to divide up, or to make something smaller by cutting or chiseling.
(verb)- An example of carve is to cut apart a turkey on Thanksgiving.
- An example of carve is to break a large piece of property into smaller lots.
- An example of carve is to create a wooden sculpture using wood tools.
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See carve in Webster's New World College Dictionary
transitive verb carved, carving
- to make or shape by or as by cutting, chipping, hewing, etc.: carve a statue out of wood or stone, carve a career
- to decorate the surface of with cut figures or designs
- to divide by cutting; slice: to carve meat
- to divide into portions, as land: with up
Origin: ME kerven < OE ceorfan < IE base *gerebh-, to scratch: see graphic
intransitive verb
- to carve statues or designs
- to carve meat
Related Forms:
- carver noun
See carve in American Heritage Dictionary 4
verb carved carved, carv·ing, carves verb, transitive
- a. To divide into pieces by cutting; slice: carved a roast.b. To divide by parceling out: carve up an estate.
- To cut into a desired shape; fashion by cutting: carve the wood into a figure.
- To make or form by or as if by cutting: carve initials in the bark; carved out an empire.
- To decorate by cutting and shaping carefully.
- To engrave or cut figures as an art, hobby, or trade.
- To disjoint, slice, and serve meat or poultry.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English kerven
Origin: , from Old English ceorfan; see gerbh- in Indo-European roots
.Related Forms:
- carvˈer noun
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