noun / verb
chisel
CHIZ-ul/ˈtʃɪzl/
A sharp-edged tool for shaping hard material, or to shape with it.
The chisel lies beside a wooden block and freshly cut chips.
Etymology
The cutting root and diminutive ending formed the name of a cutting tool. The modern chisel preserves that practical meaning: its edged blade removes or shapes material by cutting.
In context
There are no clear signs of tool use, no repetitive chisel marks, no debris fields, no alteration of the surrounding surface that would indicate deliberate carving.
More examples
- She chiseled a shallow groove into the wood.
- A sharp chisel lies beside the mallet.
- He is chiseling letters into the plaque.
Forms
chisel · chisels · chiseled · chiseling
Similar words
- gouge
- A gouge usually has a curved cutting edge; a chisel commonly has a straight beveled edge.