名詞 whittle:

1. English aeronautical engineer who invented the jet aircraft engine (1907-1996)
   同義詞：Frank Whittle, Sir Frank Whittle

動(dòng)詞 whittle:

1. cut small bits or pare shavings from
   同義詞：pare

1. Don't whittle the stick down too much or it won't be long enough.
   別把那棍削得太多，不然就不夠長(zhǎng)了。
2. Make this plug smaller for me, but don't whittle away too much.
   幫我把這個(gè)塞子弄小一點(diǎn)，但木頭不要削掉太多。

whit.tle

v.（動(dòng)詞）
whit.tled,whit.tling,whit.tles
v.tr.（及物動(dòng)詞）

To cut small bits or pare shavings from (a piece of wood).
削：從（一塊木頭）上切下小片或削去皮
To fashion or shape in this way:
削制，削成：用這種方式制成或使…成形：
例句：
whittle a toy boat.
削制成玩具船

To reduce or eliminate gradually, as if by whittling with a knife:
削弱，削減：好象用刀子削一樣逐漸地減少或消除：
例句：
whittled down the debt by making small payments.
通過小額支付來削減債務(wù)

v.intr.（不及物動(dòng)詞）
To cut or shape wood with a knife.
用刀削：用刀子削木頭或使木頭成形

來源：
From Middle English whyttel [knife]
源自 中古英語 whyttel [刀子]
variant of thwitel
thwitel的變體
from thwiten [to whittle]
源自 thwiten [削]
from Old English thwotan [to strike, whittle down]
源自 古英語 thwotan [打擊，削減]

【引伸】
whit.tler
n.（名詞）