chisel

1 of 2

noun

chis·​el ˈchi-zᵊl How to pronounce chisel (audio)
: a metal tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip, carve, or cut into a solid material (such as wood, stone, or metal)

chisel

2 of 2

verb

chiseled or chiselled; chiseling or chiselling ˈchi-zə-liŋ How to pronounce chisel (audio)
ˈchiz-liŋ

transitive verb

1
: to cut or work with or as if with a chisel
2
: to employ shrewd or unfair practices on in order to obtain one's end
also : to obtain by such practices
chisel a job

intransitive verb

1
: to work with or as if with a chisel
2
a
: to employ shrewd or unfair practices
b
: to thrust oneself : intrude
chisel in on a racket
chiseler noun
or chiseller
ˈchi-zə-lər How to pronounce chisel (audio)
ˈchiz-lər

Examples of chisel in a Sentence

Verb He chiseled off a corner of the block. Letters were chiseled into a wall.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Horowitz’s knock is the scrape of the chisel on your tombstone. Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 That includes selecting the wood and its color, thickness and grain. Woodworkers, including Marek, still use hand chisels. Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 4 June 2024
Verb
Shards of caribou bones and antlers lie on the tundra as ghostly business cards of a bygone migration, greened with mold, and minutely chiseled and mined for calcium by tiny vole teeth. Jon Waterman, Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2024 If more depth and detail were chiseled into each man’s story, the history would hit as hard as the music. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chisel 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chisel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French *chisel, cisel, from Vulgar Latin *cisellum, alteration of caesellum, from Latin caesus, past participle of caedere to cut

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1509, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chisel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near chisel

Cite this Entry

“Chisel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chisel. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

chisel

1 of 2 noun
chis·​el ˈchiz-əl How to pronounce chisel (audio)
: a metal tool with a cutting edge at the end of a blade used to shape or chip away a solid material (as stone, wood, or metal)

chisel

2 of 2 verb
chiseled or chiselled; chiseling or chiselling
ˈchiz-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to cut or work with or as if with a chisel
2
: to use unfair or dishonest methods
chiseler
ˈchiz-(ə-)lər
noun

Medical Definition

chisel

noun
chis·​el ˈchiz-əl How to pronounce chisel (audio)
: a metal tool with a cutting edge at the end of a blade
especially : one used in dentistry (as for cutting or shaping enamel)

More from Merriam-Webster on chisel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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