carvecarve /kɑːv $ kɑːrv/ ●●○ verb 
a statue carved from a single block of marble carved wooden chairs2cut something into a surface [transitive] to cut a pattern or letter on the surface of somethingcarve something on/in/into something Someone had carved their initials on the tree.3cut meat [intransitive, transitive] to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces using a knife: Carve the meat into slices. Who’s going to carve?► see thesaurus at cut4job/position/life [transitive] (also carve out) to succeed in getting the job, position, life etc that you want: He carved a niche for himself as a writer. She carved out a successful career in the film industry. He moved to Boston to carve out a new life for himself.5water/wind [transitive] if a river, the wind etc carves land or rock, it removes some of it: The river had carved channels in the limestone rock. → not be carved in stone at stone1(9)6reduce something [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to reduce the size of something by removing some of itcarve something from something The company carved $1 million from its budget.carve somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb1to divide land, a company etc into smaller parts and share it between people – used especially to show disapproval: The Ottoman Empire was carved up by Britain and France after World War I. The two companies are attempting to carve up a large slice of America’s publishing industry between them.2British English informal to drive past a car and then suddenly move in front of it so that you are too close
WORD ORIGINcarve
Origin:
Old English ceorfanVERB TABLE
carve
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | carve |
| he, she, it | carves | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | carved |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have carved |
| he, she, it | has carved | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had carved |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will carve |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have carved |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am carving |
| he, she, it | is carving | |
| you, we, they | are carving | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was carving |
| you, we, they | were carving | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been carving |
| he, she, it | has been carving | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been carving |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be carving |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been carving |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Michelangelo carved this figure from a single block of marble.
- What's the best way to carve a turkey?
- Who's going to carve the turkey?
- Who's going to carve, Dad or Grandpa?
- You start carving while I fetch the vegetables.
- Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide, toothy grin.
- I am lying in the cornfield gazing at clouds being carved up by harp-edged leaves above me.
- In Fujian, workers are carving roads into red clay hills, scaling bamboo scaffolding, hauling piles of stone.
- Shapes of naked half-men half-beasts writhing in some hideous dance were carved on to the mahogany chair.
- The bust was mutilated in late antiquity, probably by Christians who carved a cross in the forehead.
- This plywood structure has grown bigger and bigger, and he has even carved gothic spires on its top.
THESAURUS
to divide something into two or more pieces, especially using a knife or scissors: · Do you want me to cut the cake?· He cut off the lower branches.
to quickly cut something, especially using scissors: · I snipped the label off.· The hairdresser snipped away at her hair.
to make a long narrow cut through something, especially using a knife: · He slit the envelope open with a penknife.· She slit through the plastic covering.
to cut something quickly and violently with a knife, making a long thin cut: · Someone had slashed the tyres on his car.· He tried to slash his wrists.
to cut wood, using a saw (=a tool with a row of sharp points): · Saw the wood to the correct length.
to cut wood, vegetables, or meat into pieces: · Bill was outside chopping up firewood with an axe.· They chopped down the old tree.· finely chopped onion
to cut bread, meat, or vegetables into thin pieces: · I’ll slice the cucumber.· Slice the bread thinly.
to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces: · First dice the apple into cubes.
to cut cheese or a hard vegetable by rubbing it against a special tool: · Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the vegetables.
to cut the outside part off something such as a potato or apple: · I peeled the potatoes and put them in a saucepan.
to cut thin pieces from a large piece of meat: · Uncle Ray carved the turkey.
to cut the grass in a garden, park etc: · A gardener was mowing the lawn.
(also clip) to cut a small amount off something, especially to make it look neater: · He was trimming his beard.· Trim the excess fat off the meat.
Longman Language Activatorto cut food · Do you want me to cut the cake?cut something into pieces/chunks · Cut the fish into four pieces and serve hot or warm.
to cut something such as vegetables or meat into small pieces when you are preparing a meal: · Chop two onions for the stew.· Elsa was in the kitchen chopping up vegetables.chop something into pieces/chunks/cubes: · Could you chop the eggplant into cubes for me?
to cut food such as bread, meat, or vegetables into thin flat pieces: · Wash and slice the mushrooms.
to cut a large piece of cooked meat into pieces: · You start carving while I fetch the vegetables.· Who's going to carve the turkey?
British /grind American to cut raw meat into very small pieces, usually in a machine: · Mince the meat and mix in the remaining ingredients.
to cut cheese or vegetables into small thin pieces by rubbing them against a metal surface with holes in it: · I always like to grate some cheese over the potatoes before serving them.
to cut food, especially vegetables with leaves, into long thin pieces: · Remove the outside leaves and shred the cabbage finely.
to cut food, especially raw vegetables, into small square pieces: · Dice the potatoes and cook them in salted water.
to make a shape by cutting: cut something into a square/circle etc · First cut the paper into a triangle.cut out something/cut something out · Stella stood at the kitchen table, cutting out the pattern for a new dress.· The children drew Christmas trees on their pieces of paper and cut them out carefully.
to cut shapes out of solid wood or stone: · Michelangelo carved this figure from a single block of marble.
to cut a piece of wood into a particular shape by cutting off small pieces with a small knife : · He took out his penknife and began whittling a piece of wood.
to divide something so that two or more people get a part of it to divide something so that several people have a part of it: · We agreed that we would share the prize money if we won.share something among/between somebody: · She shared the cake between the children.share out something: · Profits from the sale of tickets were shared out among the members of the band.share something out: · We'll share what's left out between the three of us.
if a small number of people split something, especially money, they divide it into equal parts and take a part each: · They planned to rob a bank, split the money, and leave the country.split something among/between somebody: · He said that the land should be split between his four sons.split something two/three/four etc ways (=to divide something between two, three etc people): · I think we should split whatever we get four ways.
to separate something into two or more parts: divide something between somebody: · Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland between them.divide up something/divide something up between somebody: · We divided up the rest of the pie between us.divide up something/divide something up: · Have you decided how you're going to divide up the money?
to share something such as wealth or power among different people, groups, or organizations: · We must try to distribute the country's wealth so that we help those who need it most.· The party's aim is to distribute power more evenly among the people.
to share something, especially money, in a different way from before, so that more people have a fair share of it: · The socialists are committed to redistributing wealth.· The tax will be collected nationally and the money raised will be redistributed to local authorities.
if two or more people, organizations, or countries carve something up , especially land or a company belonging to someone else, they divide it into separate parts and share it between them: carve up something: · The British and French carved up the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.carve something up: · The two companies wanted to acquire the business and carve it up.
WORD SETSallspice, nounbake, verbbarbecue, verbbaste, verbblanch, verbboil, verbbottle, verbbouillon cube, nounbraise, verbbreadcrumbs, nounbreaded, adjectivebrine, nounbroil, verbbrown, verbbutter, verbcandied, adjectivecaper, nouncaramel, nouncardamom, nouncarve, verbcasserole, nouncasserole, verbcaster sugar, nouncharbroil, verbchervil, nounchestnut, nounchicory, nounchill, verbchilli powder, nounchip, verbcilantro, nouncinnamon, nounclean, verbclove, nouncochineal, nouncoconut, nouncook, verbcook, nouncookbook, nouncookery, nouncookery book, nouncordon bleu, adjectivecore, verbcoriander, nouncream, verbcrisp, verbcube, verbculinary, adjectivecumin, nouncurry powder, noundeep fry, verbdessertspoon, noundevilled, adjectivedice, verbdone, adjectivedress, verbessence, nounfat, nounflambé, adjectiveflan, nounflavouring, nounflour, nounflour, verbfrost, verbfrosting, nounfry, verbglaze, verbglaze, noungourmet, adjectivegourmet, noungrate, verbgrease, noungrease, verbgreaseproof paper, noungrill, verbgrill, noungrind, verbgut, verbhard-boiled, adjectivehaute cuisine, nounhob, nounhull, verbhusk, verbice, verbicebox, nounicing, nounicing sugar, nouningredient, nounjoint, verbknead, verblard, nounlard, verbleaven, nounliquidize, verbmarinade, nounmarinate, verbmarjoram, nounmicrowave, verbmince, verbmincer, nounmint, nounmix, verbmix, nounnouvelle cuisine, nounnutmeg, nounoil, nounolive oil, nounoverdone, adjectiveparboil, verbpare, verbpickle, verbpipe, verbpit, verbpitted, adjectivepkt, pluck, verbplum tomato, nounpoach, verbprecooked, adjectivepreheat, verbprep, verbprove, verbrecipe, nounreduce, verbrice paper, nounrind, nounrise, verbroast, verbroast, nounroast, adjectiverosemary, nounroux, nounsaffron, nounsage, nounsalt, nounsalt, verbsauce, nounsausage meat, nounsauté, verbsavory, nounscalloped, adjectivesear, verbseason, verbseasoning, nounself-raising flour, nounself-rising flour, nounsesame, nounshell, verbshortening, nounshort-order cook, nounshuck, verbsieve, verbsift, verbsifter, nounsimmer, verbsimmer, nounskewer, verbsmoke, verbsoak, verbsoda, nounsodium bicarbonate, nounspice, nounspice, verbspicy, adjectivestarch, nounsteam, verbsteep, verbstew, verbstock, nounstone, verbstrain, verbstuff, verbstuffing, nounsunny-side up, adjectivesweat, verbsweet-and-sour, adjectiveTabasco, nountandoori, adjectivetarragon, nountbsp, teaspoon, nountenderize, verbtenderloin, nountextured vegetable protein, nounthaw, verbthyme, nountimer, nountoast, nountoast, verbtoss, verbtruss, verbtsp, turmeric, noununderdone, adjectivevinaigrette, nounvinegar, nounwhip, verbwhisk, verbyeast, nounzap, verbzest, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He carved a niche for himself as a writer. She carved out a successful career in the film industry.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
He carved a niche for himself as a writer. She carved out a successful career in the film industry. (=cut up a whole chicken that has been cooked)
(=for cutting meat)· Dad always used to sharpen the carving knife.
(=do something in a particular way that is different to and better than anyone else)· She had carved out a niche for herself as a children's television presenter.
· Some of the statues were carved by Quitainer.
(=used a knife to shape it)· The room was decorated with carved wood.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· He went to Eastbourne secondary school before carving out a comic career in London.· Distillers scrambled to develop processing techniques that would allow them to carve out their own niches.· Over the years they have carved out a powerful position within the town's antique trade.· A lot of the children started out carving right here, right on these stumps.· Hepolled so well last year that he couldn't be carved out of the action again.· The ones you carve out of marble.· An off-the-lip carved out the Himalayas.· How do you carve out your identity when your parents were so rebellious and so against the social conventions?
· The busiest routes are carved up by bilateral deals between the national airlines at either end.· I am lying in the cornfield gazing at clouds being carved up by harp-edged leaves above me.· That was at the very apogee of the age of imperialism, when white men carved up the black continent between them.· The war has left the sprawling nation carved up into various regions controlled by the government and rebel armies.· In this sense sovereignty can not be carved up.· Rather than compete, they would join forces and carve up the market.· She carved up Muriel Spark and Iris Murdoch at the same time as the bacon.· They wheeled in the rocket scientists, who started to carve up mortgage securities into itty-bitty pieces.
NOUN· He went to Eastbourne secondary school before carving out a comic career in London.· Now though she's carving out a new career as a fitness guru on the Big Breakfast.· Pianist-composer Childs is a hometown phenomenon busy carving out a career between the jazz and classical worlds.· Through hard work and sheer determination, Dennis carved out a career in the building industry.· In vain he hoped to carve out an alternative career as a journalist and cricket writer.· Now John, 17, is quietly carving out his career with Barnsley.
· It seems children can't resist them: Male speaker Children like to carve faces out of them.· The soot-black metal of the stoves was carved with grotesque faces from which a dark heat beat out at Quiss.
· A sharp knife is essential when carving any joint.
· In the distance below, the three lakes Shimmered - the wind carved its many names On the face of the waters.· Oh well, she should hear the foreman if they made a mistake carving a name on a tombstone.· The moonlight illuminated a hand carved wooden name plaque on the freshly painted gate, Honey Cottage.
· On the back of the bicentennial opportunity she had struck fast and hard and carved a unique niche for herself on television.· Distillers scrambled to develop processing techniques that would allow them to carve out their own niches.· In carving out a distinctive niche for themselves, a number of options have been open to them.· In the Bay Area alone, three companies are trying to carve out a niche in the casual clothing market.
· The Kha-Khan was sitting in a chair which had been carved into the shape of a reclining dragon.· One was a simple wooden structure carved in the shape of the building.
· I never saw anything as beautiful as that stone you were carving.· She got in without a word, but her face looked like a Mayan stone carving.· The stone benches with carved angels' heads were crumbling to dust.
· The vulva signs carved on the walls suggest this.· Once inside, I mounted the battlements and explored hidden alcoves carved into the thick walls.
· Therefore, George carved them into the wood in relief.· Elephants carved in wood, a bull in terra cotta.· In 1918 Brancusi produced Endless Column, the first in a series of works usually roughly carved from wood.· It was an entire village, carved out of wood, four feet square.· Jonathon now worked on model ships under the eye of Uncle Philip and was learning how to carve them directly from wood.
VERB· In the Bay Area alone, three companies are trying to carve out a niche in the casual clothing market.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1make object or pattern [transitive] to make an object or pattern by cutting a piece of wood or stonecarve something out of/from something- John has several new ideas for the show, but nothing is etched in stone yet.
a statue carved from a single block of marble carved wooden chairs2cut something into a surface [transitive] to cut a pattern or letter on the surface of somethingcarve something on/in/into something Someone had carved their initials on the tree.3cut meat [intransitive, transitive] to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces using a knife: Carve the meat into slices. Who’s going to carve?► see thesaurus at cut4job/position/life [transitive] (also carve out) to succeed in getting the job, position, life etc that you want: He carved a niche for himself as a writer. She carved out a successful career in the film industry. He moved to Boston to carve out a new life for himself.5water/wind [transitive] if a river, the wind etc carves land or rock, it removes some of it: The river had carved channels in the limestone rock. → not be carved in stone at stone1(9)6reduce something [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to reduce the size of something by removing some of itcarve something from something The company carved $1 million from its budget.carve somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb1to divide land, a company etc into smaller parts and share it between people – used especially to show disapproval: The Ottoman Empire was carved up by Britain and France after World War I. The two companies are attempting to carve up a large slice of America’s publishing industry between them.2British English informal to drive past a car and then suddenly move in front of it so that you are too close- menacing
- menacingly
- menagerie
- Menai Straits
- Men Behaving Badly
- MENCAP
- mend
- mendacious
- mendaciously
- mendacity
- Mendeleyev, Dmitri Ivanovitch
- Mendel, Gregor Johann
- Mendelssohn, Felix
- mender
- Mendes, Sam
- mendicant
- mending
- Mendip Hills
- Menelaus
- Menem, Carlos
- menfolk
- M Eng
- Mengele, Josef
- Mengistu, Haile Mariam
- menial