from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Carve \Carve\ (k[aum]rv), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Carved}
(k[aum]rvd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Carving}.] [AS. ceorfan to cut,
carve; akin to D. kerven, G. kerben, Dan. karve, Sw. karfva,
and to Gr. gra`fein to write, orig. to scratch, and E.
-graphy. Cf. {Graphic}.]
1. To cut. [Obs.]
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Or they will carven the shepherd's throat.
--Spenser.
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2. To cut, as wood, stone, or other material, in an artistic
or decorative manner; to sculpture; to engrave.
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Carved with figures strange and sweet. --Coleridge.
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3. To make or shape by cutting, sculpturing, or engraving; to
form; as, to carve a name on a tree.
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An angel carved in stone. --Tennyson.
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We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone.
--C. Wolfe.
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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.
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5. To cut: to hew; to mark as if by cutting.
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My good blade carved the casques of men. --Tennyson.
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A million wrinkles carved his skin. --Tennyson.
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6. To take or make, as by cutting; to provide.
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Who could easily have carved themselves their own
food. --South.
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7. To lay out; to contrive; to design; to plan.
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Lie ten nights awake carving the fashion of a new
doublet. --Shak.
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{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.
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Fortunes were carved out of the property of the
crown. --Macaulay.
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