whittling

American  

[hwit-ling, wit-] / ˈʰwɪt lɪŋ, ˈwɪt- /

noun

1. the act of a person who whittles.

2. Often whittlings. a bit or chip whittled off.

---

Etymology

Origin of whittling

First recorded in 1605–15; whittle + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

After whittling what had been a 24-point deficit to four with a little more than three minutes left Saturday, the Bruins could not find the miracle finish they were seeking.

From Los Angeles Times

They also cut down the number of players, starting the second season with 200 contestants before quickly whittling them down to 100, then 25.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pochettino’s task now, with only four exhibition matches remaining before the World Cup kicks off, is whittling down a squad that he has spent over a year tinkering with.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the key is to put a cap on how much you spend to avoid falling into the trap of whittling away your winnings.

From MarketWatch

What that does is test the creativity of Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman to devise ways to fortify the line and protect Herbert without whittling away too many offensive options.

From Los Angeles Times