whittle

• Verb, das das Schnitzen oder Formen von Holz durch das Abtragen kleiner dünner Späne beschreibt oder im übertragenen Sinn die allmähliche Verringerung von etwas.

A verb used to describe the act of carving or shaping wood by cutting small, thin pieces off, or metaphorically, to gradually reduce something.

1. Carve woodB2formal

   To cut small bits or pare shavings from a piece of wood, typically with a knife, to shape it.

   Holz schnitzen

   • He whittled a small bird from a block of pine.
   • She spent the afternoon whittling a wooden whistle.
   • The old man whittled a walking stick from a branch.

   Synonymecarvecutfashionhewpareshapeshavetrim

2. Reduce graduallyB2formal

   To gradually reduce or diminish something, such as costs, time, or resources.

   Allmählich reduzieren

   • The company whittled down its expenses over several months.
   • We need to whittle the list of candidates to just three.
   • He whittled away at the problem until he found a solution.

   Synonymecutdecreasediminisherodelessenparereducescale downshavetrim

   Antonymeamplifyaugmentboostenlargeexpandgrowincrease

Phrasal-Variantenwhittle awaywhittle down