[ˈwɪtl], (Verb)

Definitions:
- carve (wood) into an object by repeatedly cutting small slices from it
(e.g: he was sitting at the tent door, whittling a piece of wood with a knife)

- reduce something in size, amount, or extent by a gradual series of steps
(e.g: the shortlist of fifteen was whittled down to five)


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 16th century: from dialect whittle ‘knife’