to cut, trim, or shape (a stick, piece of wood, etc.) by carving off bits with a knife.

to form by whittling

to whittle a figure.

to cut off (a bit).

to reduce the amount of, as if by whittling; pare down; take away by degrees (usually fol. by down, away, etc.)

to whittle down the company's overhead; to whittle away one's inheritance.

to whittle wood or the like with a knife, as in shaping something or as a mere aimless diversion

to spend an afternoon whittling.

to tire oneself or another by worrying or fussing.

British Dialect . a knife, esp. a large one, as a carving knife or a butcher knife.

verb

build , increase

verb

carve , chip , consume , decrease , diminish , eat away , erode , fashion , form , hew , lessen , model , mold , pare , sculpt , shape , shave , trim , undermine , wear away , cut , reduce