Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Carve?

\Carve\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Carved}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Carving}.] [AS. ceorfan to cut, carve; akin to D. kerven, G. kerben, Dan. karve, Sw. karfva, and to Gr. ? to write, orig. to scatch, and E. -graphy. Cf. {Graphic}.] 1. To cut. [Obs.] Or they will carven the shepherd's throat. --Spenser. 2. To cut, as wood, stone, or other material, in an artistic or decorative manner; to sculpture; to engrave. Carved with figures strange and sweet. --Coleridge. 3. To make or shape by cutting, sculpturing, or engraving; to form; as, to carve a name on a tree. An angel carved in stone. --Tennyson. We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone. --C. Wolfe. 4. To cut into small pieces or slices, as meat at table; to divide for distribution or apportionment; to apportion. ``To carve a capon.'' --Shak. 5. To cut: to hew; to mark as if by cutting. My good blade carved the casques of men. --Tennyson. A million wrinkles carved his skin. --Tennyson. 6. To take or make, as by cutting; to provide. Who could easily have carved themselves their own food. --South. 7. To lay out; to contrive; to design; to plan. Lie ten nights awake carving the fashion of a new doublet. --Shak. {To carve out}, to make or get by cutting, or as if by cutting; to cut out. ``[Macbeth] with his brandished steel . . . carved out his passage.'' --Shak. Fortunes were carved out of the property of the crown. --Macaulay.
\Carve\, v. i. 1. To exercise the trade of a sculptor or carver; to engrave or cut figures. 2. To cut up meat; as, to carve for all the guests.
\Carve\, n. A carucate. [Obs.] --Burrill.