Whittle

Pronunciation: /ˈwɪtəl/

Definitions of whittle

verb to carve or shape wood by cutting small pieces from it

Example Sentences

A1 He likes to whittle small wooden figures in his free time.

A2 She learned how to whittle a basic spoon during a camping trip.

B1 The artisan carefully whittled away at the block of wood to create a detailed sculpture.

B2 After years of practice, he was able to whittle intricate designs into walking sticks.

C1 The master carver could whittle a piece of wood into a lifelike animal with incredible precision.

C2 Using only a small knife, the artist was able to whittle a stunning replica of a famous landmark.

Examples of whittle in a Sentence

formal The woodcarver used a sharp knife to carefully whittle away at the block of wood.

informal I like to whittle sticks when I'm sitting around a campfire.

slang He spent all afternoon whittling on that project.

figurative She managed to whittle down her to-do list by prioritizing tasks.

Grammatical Forms of whittle

• past tense: whittled
• plural: whittles
• comparative: more whittled
• superlative: most whittled
• present tense: whittle
• future tense: will whittle
• perfect tense: have whittled
• continuous tense: is whittling
• singular: whittle
• positive degree: whittle
• infinitive: to whittle
• gerund: whittling
• participle: whittling

Origin and Evolution of whittle

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'whittle' originated from the Old English word 'thwitel', which means a small knife or cutting tool.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'whittle' has evolved from simply referring to a small knife or cutting tool to also include the act of carving or shaping wood by cutting small pieces from it.