chisel
a tool used to cut or shape wood or stone
A metal tool with a sharp flat edge at one end, used for cutting or shaping wood, stone, or metal, usually by pushing it by hand or striking it with a hammer.
to shape something using a chisel
To cut, shape, or carve a hard material using a chisel.
to shape something little by little by cutting pieces away
To form or refine something by repeatedly removing small pieces, especially from a hard surface; often used figuratively.
to trick someone to get money or something valuable
To cheat or swindle someone, especially to get money or an advantage unfairly.
a person who tricks people for money
A person who cheats or swindles others, especially for money; a chiseler.
to make something look strong and clearly shaped
To make something, especially someone’s body or facial features, look sharply defined as if carved.
- Base: chisel
- Plural: chisels
- Base: chisel
- 3rd Person Singular: chisels
- Present Participle: chiseling, chiselling
- Past: chiseled, chiselled
chisel [someone] out of [money/something]
1cheat someone to get something
to trick someone and take their money
- The scammer chiseled her out of her savings.
- They claimed the salesman chiseled them out of an extra fee.
- He was arrested for chiseling elderly people out of thousands of dollars.
chisel away (at)
1work steadily in small steps
to keep working at something little by little
- She’s been chiseling away at her thesis for months.
- We spent the afternoon chiseling away at the ice on the steps.
- Little by little, he chiseled away at his debt.
- I am chiseling away at my homework.
chisel down
1reduce an amount gradually
to make something smaller or cheaper little by little
- We managed to chisel the price down by ten percent.
- The editor chiseled the article down to 800 words.
- Over time, they chiseled down the backlog by tackling a few tasks each day.
- We chiseled the cost down.
chisel in
1carve words into hard surface
to write on stone or metal by carving it
- They chiseled in the dates along the bottom of the monument.
- His name was chiseled in beside the others.
- The mason chiseled the message in carefully, letter by letter.
chisel off
1remove by cutting or chipping
to remove something by cutting it away
- We had to chisel off the old adhesive before installing the new flooring.
- He carefully chiseled the paint off the hinges.
- The restorer chiseled off the damaged layer without harming the stone underneath.
- He chiseled off the old glue.
chisel out
1carve by cutting pieces away
to make something by carving it from stone or wood
- The workers chiseled out a channel for the wiring.
- She chiseled out a small figure from a piece of soapstone.
- He chiseled out a place for himself in the industry.
- They chiseled out a hole in the wall.