- ˌwhittle sth ˈdown
- phrasal verb
to reduce the number of people or things, or the size of something
Dictionary for writing and speaking English. 2014.
ˌwhittle sth ˈdown
Look at other dictionaries:
whittle something down — ˌwhittle sthˈdown derived to reduce the size or number of sth • I finally managed to whittle down the names on the list to only five. Main entry: ↑whittlederived … Useful english dictionary
whittle — verb (I, T) to cut a piece of wood into a particular shape by cutting off small pieces with a small knife whittle sth away phrasal verb (T) to gradually reduce the amount or value of something: centralizing measures that had whittled away the… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
whittle — [ˈwɪt(ə)l] verb whittle (sth) away whittle sth down … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
whittle — whit|tle [ˈwıtl] v [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: whittle large knife (15 19 centuries), from thwittle (14 19 centuries), from thwite to whittle (11 19 centuries), from Old English thwitan] 1.) also whittle down [T] to gradually make something smaller … Dictionary of contemporary English
wear away — verb 1. cut away in small pieces • Syn: ↑whittle away, ↑whittle down • Hypernyms: ↑damage • Verb Frames: Somebody s something Something s something … Useful english dictionary
winnow — win|now [ˈwınəu US nou] v also winnow down [: Old English; Origin: windwian] [T] to make a list, group, or quantity smaller by getting rid of the things that you do not need or want = ↑whittle down ▪ We need to winnow the list of candidates to… … Dictionary of contemporary English
