chisel

American  

[chiz-uhl] / ˈtʃɪz əl /

noun

1. a wedgelike tool with a cutting edge at the end of the blade, often made of steel, used for cutting or shaping wood, stone, etc.

2. chisel plow.

3. Astronomy. Chisel, the constellation Caelum.

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verb (used with object)

chiseled, chiseling, chiselled, chiselling

1. to cut, shape, or fashion by or as if by carving with a chisel.

2. to cheat or swindle (someone).

   He chiseled me out of fifty dollars.

3. to get (something) by cheating or trickery.

   He chiseled fifty dollars out of me.

verb (used without object)

chiseled, chiseling, chiselled, chiselling

1. to work with a chisel.

2. to trick; cheat.

chisel British  

/ ˈtʃɪzəl /

noun

1. 1. a hand tool for working wood, consisting of a flat steel blade with a cutting edge attached to a handle of wood, plastic, etc. It is either struck with a mallet or used by hand

   2. a similar tool without a handle for working stone or metal

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verb

1. to carve (wood, stone, metal, etc) or form (an engraving, statue, etc) with or as with a chisel

2. slang to cheat or obtain by cheating

Other Word Forms

• chisel-like
  adjective
• chisellike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chisel

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Anglo-French, variant of Old French cisel, from unattested Vulgar Latin cīsellus, diminutive of unattested cīsus, for Latin caesus, past participle of caedere “to cut,” with -ī- generalized from prefixed derivatives; cf. excide

Explanation

When you carve a statue from a block of marble, you use a tool called a chisel to cut out the shape. Chisel is the name of the tool and also the name of the action. A chisel has a flat, sharp end. To carve using a chisel, you hit the back of it with a hammer or another blunt instrument. Chisel can also mean "to cheat." If someone chisels you out of your allowance, they shaved it away from you bit by bit.

Example Sentences

Hard-living Aussie rock band Cold Chisel once had to postpone a show in Melbourne after guitarist Ian Moss was attacked by his family cat.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

As Chisel dashed through a zigzag performance of “The Unthinkable Is True,” at least five of my major muscle groups decided they were 17 years old.

From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2023

The new multiplayer game he had created with his development studio, Hammer & Chisel, was not catching on.

From New York Times • Dec. 29, 2021

Architecture and music fans alike will appreciate Chisel & Mouse’s architectural model of the iconic Capitol Records building in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2017

How to Prevent Chisel Handles Splitting.—All carpenters know how soon the butt-end of chisel handles split when daily exposed to the blow of a mallet or hammer.

From Burroughs' Encyclopaedia of Astounding Facts and Useful Information, 1889 by Burroughs, Barkham

Related Words

• blade
• knife