carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

transitive verb

1

: to cut with care or precision

carved fretwork

2

: to make or get by or as if by cutting

—often used with out

carve out a career

3

: to cut into pieces or slices

carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1

: to cut up and serve meat

2

: to work as a sculptor or engraver

carver noun

Synonyms

• sculpt
• sculpture

Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture.

Who is going to carve the turkey?

He carved while I made the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

After carving all the the meat, the chef whisks away the rest of the duck to make a dish out of the bones, such as fried rice, soup or a stir-fry, which will be served later. —Reia Li, The Arizona Republic, 15 July 2024

Since assuming office, Vance has carved out a distinct profile in the Senate by championing issues that blend economic populism with nationalist fervor. —Nik Popli, TIME, 15 July 2024

The Suites Carefully carved into the cliffs of Oia on the site of an old salt mine, suite interiors ooze a perfect blend of Cycladic minimalism and modern brutalist design. —Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2024

Last week, Beryl carved a path of destruction across the Caribbean — leaving at least 11 people dead and destroying or severely damaging infrastructure on several islands. —Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 11 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing carve

• carve up

Kids Definition

carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

1

: to cut with care or exactness

2

: to cut into pieces or slices

3

: to cut up and serve meat

carver noun