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

The Japan Times reported that the letters were carved into a wooden pillar of a traditional entrance, known as a torii gate, at the Meiji Shrine. —Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024

Teams can carve out time to learn their team members’ style of both giving and receiving feedback, which may help foster empathy and understanding among team members. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The new majority-Black House seat was carved out from Rep. Garret Graves’s (R) district, and the resulting shift toward Democrats led him to announce his retirement. —Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024

Best Perks: The infinity pool, which is right off the terrace, is carved from vast slabs of aquamarine-colored stone that echoes the blues and greens of the Pacific. —Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 2 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