verb
whittle
WIH-tuhl
Whittle (verb) means to shape a piece of wood by slicing off small slivers with a knife. Example: “He sat on the porch whittling a small wooden bird.”
verb
1
To shape a piece of wood by slicing off small slivers with a knife.
"He sat on the porch whittling a small wooden bird."
2
To gradually reduce something, especially in size or number, bit by bit.
"The committee whittled the shortlist down from twenty names to three."
"Years of overspending slowly whittled away their savings."
How to use whittle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo carve wood with a knife, or to cut something down gradually piece by piece.
Common pairings
whittle a stick
whittle down a list
whittle away at savings
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like whittle.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- whittles
- Third person singular
- whittles
- Past tense
- whittled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The committee _____ the shortlist down from twenty names to three.
Etymology
From an old form of thwitel, "a large knife," itself from an Old English verb meaning "to cut or strike down" — the same root as the rarer word thwite.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for whittle
See all rhymes for whittle →Frequently asked questions
What does “whittle” mean?
The word “whittle” means to shape a piece of wood by slicing off small slivers with a knife. In plain terms, to carve wood with a knife, or to cut something down gradually piece by piece.
How do you pronounce “whittle”?
“Whittle” is pronounced WIH-tuhl (/ˈwɪtəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “whittle” in a sentence?
Here is “whittle” used in a sentence: “The committee whittled the shortlist down from twenty names to three.”
What part of speech is “whittle”?
“Whittle” is a verb.
Where does the word “whittle” come from?
The word “whittle” comes from Old English. From an old form of thwitel, "a large knife," itself from an Old English verb meaning "to cut or strike down" — the same root as the rarer word thwite.
How many meanings does “whittle” have?
“Whittle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to shape a piece of wood by slicing off small slivers with a knife.
