whittle
verb (used with object)
to cut, trim, or shape (a stick, piece of wood, etc.) by carving off bits with a knife.
was whittling
-
past progressiveof whittle.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And Bryson DeChambeau was whittling away after losing five of the first seven to Fitzpatrick.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2025
It was almost like I was whittling it, like it was a piece of wood, and I started just carving at it until it looked like something or sounded like something.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2017
Weary, grey and pinched-looking, he was whittling nervously on a stick.
From Time Magazine Archive
She was whittling on a long piece of wood - making a bow.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Ma was back to working on that sweater and Pa was whittling away.
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
