carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

transitive verb

1

: to cut with care or precision

carved fretwork

2

: to make or get by or as if by cutting

—often used with out

carve out a career

3

: to cut into pieces or slices

carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1

: to cut up and serve meat

2

: to work as a sculptor or engraver

carver noun

Synonyms

• sculpt
• sculpture

Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture.

Who is going to carve the turkey?

He carved while I made the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Others will carve out a larger chunk each week, such as 45 minutes to an hour on a Friday afternoon, to catch up with their network and forge a few new relationships. —Dr. Kyle Elliott, Mpa, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Black Americans, from the post-Reconstruction era to the Civil Rights Movement, carved out outdoor spaces for joy, refuge, and resistance despite systemic exclusion. —Essence, 25 Nov. 2024

Today, Burke has carved out a successful career in the STEM field. —Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 25 Nov. 2024

For years, airlines have carved their plane cabins into various tiers of service and fares. —Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing carve

• carve up

Kids Definition

carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

1

: to cut with care or exactness

2

: to cut into pieces or slices

3

: to cut up and serve meat

carver noun