carve

[kahrv] /kɑrv/
verb (used with object), carved, carving.
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.
3.
to cut into slices or pieces, as a roast of meat.
4.
to decorate with designs or figures cut on the surface:
The top of the box was beautifully carved with figures of lions and unicorns.
5.
to cut (a design, figures, etc.) on a surface:
Figures of lions and unicorns were carved on the top of the box.
6.
to make or create for oneself (often followed by out):
He carved out a career in business.
verb (used without object), carved, carving.
7.
to carve figures, designs, etc.
8.
to cut meat.
Origin
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
Related forms
carver, noun
recarve, verb, recarved, recarving.
semicarved, adjective
uncarved, adjective
undercarve, verb (used with object), undercarved, undercarving.
well-carved, adjective
Examples from the web for carve
  • Usually a river or stream and erosion carve out such splits between mountains.
British Dictionary definitions for carve

carve

/kɑːv/
verb
1.
(transitive) 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
3.
to slice (meat) into pieces: to carve a turkey
See also carve out, carve up
Word Origin
Old English ceorfan; related to Old Frisian kerva, Middle High German kerben to notch
Word Origin and History for carve
v.

Old English ceorfan (class III strong verb; past tense cearf, past participle corfen) "to cut, cut down, slay; to carve, cut out, engrave," from West Germanic *kerfan (cf. Old Frisian kerva, Middle Dutch and Dutch kerven, German kerben "to cut, notch"), from PIE root *gerbh- "to scratch," making carve the English cognate of Greek graphein "to write," originally "to scratch" on clay tablets with a stylus.

Once extensively used, most senses now usurped by cut (v.). Meaning specialized to sculpture, meat, etc., by 16c. Related: Carved; carving. Original strong conjugation has been abandoned, but archaic carven lingers.

Slang definitions & phrases for carve

carve

verb

To give one a thrill; send: He carves me. Does he carve you? (1930s+ Jive talk)


carve in the Bible

The arts of engraving and carving were much practised among the Jews. They were practised in connection with the construction of the tabernacle and the temple (Ex. 31:2, 5; 35:33; 1 Kings 6:18, 35; Ps. 74:6), as well as in the ornamentation of the priestly dresses (Ex. 28:9-36; Zech. 3:9; 2 Chr. 2:7, 14). Isaiah (44:13-17) gives a minute description of the process of carving idols of wood.