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definitions

carve

[kahrv]
See more 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.
  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, carv·ing.
  1. to carve figures, designs, etc.
  2. to cut meat.

Origin of carve

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 formscarv·er, nounre·carve, verb, re·carved, re·carv·ing.sem·i·carved, adjectiveun·carved, adjectiveun·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. 2018

Related Words for carve

fashion, divide, hack, chisel, shape, slice, engrave, etch, mold, sculpt, trim, cleave, hew, indent, form, pattern, chip, stipple, tool, incise

Examples from the Web for carve

Contemporary Examples of carve

Historical Examples of carve

  • As for me, I ask no help from any one: I go into the world and will carve out my own way.

    Night and Morning, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • A sculptor was set to work to carve a new one from the ruin.

  • But, mon brave,” said he, “you would find this one a tough swine to carve!

    Louisiana Lou

    William West Winter

  • Ambitious, light-hearted, he went to Africa to carve out a name in the army.

    The Strollers

    Frederic S. Isham

  • Alden sat down at the table and began to carve a roasted chicken.

    Victor's Triumph

    Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth

British Dictionary definitions for carve

carve

verb
  1. (tr) to cut or chip in order to form somethingto carve wood
  2. to decorate or form (something) by cutting or chippingto carve statues
  3. to slice (meat) into piecesto carve a turkey
See also carve out, carve up

Word Origin for carve

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
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.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper