What is the meaning of whittle down?
Definition of whittle down : to gradually make (something) smaller by removing parts We whittled the list down to four people.
What’s another way to say whittle down?
What is another word for whittle down?
| reduce | trim |
|---|---|
| diminish | lessen |
| cut down | pare down |
| prune | cut |
| shave | shrink |
What does Whittle mean mean?
Definition of whittle (Entry 2 of 2) transitive verb. 1a : to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife. b : to shape or form by so paring or cutting. 2 : to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife : pare whittle down expenses.
How do you use Whittle in a sentence?
cut away in small pieces. (1) We need to whittle down the list of guests for the party. (2) The president has agreed to whittle down his proposal. (3) I finally managed to whittle down the names on the list to only five.
Does Whittle mean worry?
to tire oneself or another by worrying or fussing.
Is it whittle down or winnow down?
To winnow is the operation of harvesting grain. To whittle is to carve. To whittle down would indicate the process of removing slivers of material in order to arrive at the final product. There might be a metaphorical use of whittling down to indicate wearing out someone’s patience.
What is the synonym of trim?
cut off, remove, take off, chop off, lop off, shave off, hack off, nip off. 3’production and labour costs need to be trimmed’ reduce, decrease, make reductions in, cut down, cut back on, make cutbacks in, scale down, prune, slim down, pare down, salami-slice, dock, retrench on.
What is whittle wood?
Whittling may refer either to the art of carving shapes out of raw wood using a knife or a time-occupying, non-artistic (contrast wood carving for artistic process) process of repeatedly shaving slivers from a piece of wood. It is used by many as a pastime, or as a way to make artistic creations.
What do you call someone who whittles?
1. whittler – someone who whittles (usually as an idle pastime) do-nothing, idler, layabout, loafer, bum – person who does no work; “a lazy bum”
What does winnow down mean?
to reduce the size of a group of people or things so that you only keep the best or most useful ones. Synonyms and related words. To reduce something.
How is winnowing down?
Winnowing is a process by which chaff is separated from grain. In its simplest form, it involves throwing the mixture into the air so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff, while the heavier grains fall back down for recovery.
What does it mean to whittle down something?
whittle down To reduce the size or scope of something incrementally by removing small parts. to cut or diminish something to a more appropriate size or to the proper size.
How do you use whittling in a sentence?
1. To reduce the size of some piece of wood by cutting small bits or paring shavings: I whittled down the pencil’s tip to expose more lead. I bit nervously on my pencil until I had whittled it down to nothing. 2. To reduce something gradually, as if by whittling with a knife: The couple whittled down their debt by making small payments.
What does it mean to whittle down the budget?
To reduce the size or scope of something incrementally by removing small parts. The phrase alludes to whittling wood, in which small bits are carved off with a knife. A noun or pronoun can be used between “whittle” and “down.” We’re not going to make any major cuts, but we do need to whittle down the budget by reducing costs here and there.