carve

[ kahrv ]
See synonyms for carve on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),carved, carv·ing.
  1. to cut (a solid material) so as to form something: to carve a piece of pine.

  2. to form from a solid material by cutting: to carve a statue out of stone.

  1. to cut into slices or pieces, as a roast of meat.

  2. to decorate with designs or figures cut on the surface: The top of the box was beautifully carved with figures of lions and unicorns.

  3. to cut (a design, figures, etc.) on a surface: Figures of lions and unicorns were carved on the top of the box.

  4. to make or create for oneself (often followed by out): He carved out a career in business.

verb (used without object),carved, carv·ing.
  1. to carve figures, designs, etc.

  2. to cut meat.

Origin of carve

1
before 1000; Middle English kerven,Old English ceorfan to cut; cognate with Middle Low German kerven,German kerben,Greek gráphein to mark, write; see graph

Other words from carve

  • carver, noun
  • re·carve, verb, re·carved, re·carv·ing.
  • sem·i·carved, adjective
  • un·carved, adjective
  • un·der·carve, verb (used with object), un·der·carved, un·der·carv·ing.
  • well-carved, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use carve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for carve

carve

/ (kɑːv) /


verb
  1. (tr) to cut or chip in order to form something: to carve wood

  2. to decorate or form (something) by cutting or chipping: to carve statues

  1. to slice (meat) into pieces: to carve a turkey

Origin of carve

1
Old English ceorfan; related to Old Frisian kerva, Middle High German kerben to notch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012