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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Whether in power or not, Trump has had eight years in the political spotlight, chisel in hand. Alejandro Puyana, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024 It will be transformed into a fresh new home, as will the neighboring chapel. , which has amassed over 200,000 views on TikTok, shows the suspicious door that was once underneath the bath, with Mandy using a chisel and a hammer to pry it open. Brian Dillon, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Extracting a clump using a pick or shovel goes about as fast as chiseling your way out of Alcatraz. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for chisel 

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 30 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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