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
Weary, grey and pinched-looking, he was whittling nervously on a stick.
From Time Magazine Archive
He was whittling, the shavings falling to the floor right outside the kitchen where we were standing.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
She was whittling on a long piece of wood - making a bow.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
He loved the smell of the wood he was whittling, even the acrid smell of the oak that Brother Matthew was working.
From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli
