chisel

A cutting tool used to remove parts of stone, wood or metal by pushing or pounding the back when the sharp edge is against the material. It consists of a slim, oblong block of metal with a sharp wedge or bevel formed on one end and sometimes a handle at the other end; there are hand tool versions (the original type) and versions as bits for power tools.

Noun

  1. A cutting tool used to remove parts of stone, wood or metal by pushing or pounding the back when the sharp edge is against the material. It consists of a slim, oblong block of metal with a sharp wedge or bevel formed on one end and sometimes a handle at the other end; there are hand tool versions (the original type) and versions as bits for power tools.
  2. A part of any of various tools or devices that has an analogous purpose, cutting raw material or a workpiece during the process that the tool or device performs.

    1. A part of some ploughs, next to the ploughshare, that helps cut into the soil and deal with obstructions such as rocks, roots, and stems.

      • Holonyms: plough, plow < implement

      Related: ploughshare plowshare moldboard mouldboard coulter colter

Origin

From Middle English chisel, chesel, from Old Northern French chisel, cisel, from cisoir (with a change in suffix), from Late Latin cīsōrium (“cutting tool”), from Latin caedō (“cut”). Doublet of scissors.

Forms

chisels

Related

burin gouge graver

Derived

bog chisel butt chisel chisellike chiselmouth cold chisel cope chisel enchisel framing chisel hot chisel set chisel skew chisel

Noun Entry 2

  1. Gravel.
  2. Coarse flour; bran; the coarser part of bran or flour.

Origin

From Middle English chisel, chesil, from Old English ċeosol, ċeosel, ċysel, ċisel, ċisil (“gravel, sand”), from Proto-West Germanic *kesul (“small stone, pebble”). See also chessom.

Forms

chisels chesil chissel chessil

Related

chessom

Verb

  1. To use a chisel.

    Synonyms: chip

  2. To work something with a chisel.
    • She chiselled a sculpture out of the block of wood.

    Synonyms: chip

  3. To barge in on (something); to intrude on (something).
  4. To make small changes to (something), bit by bit, resulting in change over time.
    • Laws that protect the environment are being chiseled away.

    Synonyms: chip away

  5. To beg or pressure somebody into giving up (something); to haggle excessively; to cheat; to obtain something from (someone) by cheating.
    • He's managed to chisel a couple dollars from somewhere.
    • She can always chisel whatever she needs from her father.
    • She's always either chiseling or groveling, it seems.

Forms

chisels chiseling chiselling chiseled chiselled

Derived

chiseler chiseller chisel in chisel out chisel up rechisel