chisel

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to carve with a chisel

   chisel the marble

2. 2
   verb

   To work something with a chisel.

   She chiselled a sculpture out of the block of wood.

3. 3
   verb

   To make small changes to (something), bit by bit, resulting in change over time.

   Laws that protect the environment are being chiseled away.

4. 4
   verb

   To beg or pressure somebody into giving up (something); to haggle excessively; to cheat; to obtain something from (someone) by cheating.

   He's managed to chisel a couple dollars from somewhere.

5. 5
   noun

   an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge

6. 6
   verb

   to deprive somebody of something by deceit

7. 7
   verb

   to engage in deceitful behavior

8. 8
   noun

   A cutting tool used to remove parts of stone, wood or metal by pushing or pounding the back when the sharp edge is against the material. It consists of a slim, oblong block of metal with a sharp wedge or bevel formed on one end and sometimes a handle at the other end; there are hand tool versions (the original type) and versions as bits for power tools.

Etymology

From Middle English chisel, chesel, from Old Northern French chisel, cisel, from cisoir (with a change in suffix), from Late Latin cīsōrium (“cutting tool”), from Latin caedō (“cut”). Doublet of scissors.