| [/ˈwɪtl; US ˈhwɪ-; ˋhwɪtl/] v 用法:
1 (a) [Ipr, Tn] ~ (at) sth cut thin slices or strips off (wood, etc) 削（木头等）.
(b) [Tn, Tn.pr] ~ A (from B); ~ B (into A) make or shape (sth) by doing this 削成（某物）:
whittling a tent-peg from a branch/a branch into a tent-peg 把树枝削成帐篷钉. 用法:
2 (phr v) whittle sth away gradually remove or decrease sth 逐渐削减某事物:
Inflation has whittled away their savings. 通货膨胀蚕食了他们的积蓄. whittle sth down (a) make sth thinner by cutting off fine slices with a knife 用刀将某物削薄.
(b) reduce the size of sth gradually 逐渐减少某事物:
The number of employees is being whittled down in order to reduce costs. 为节省开支现正逐渐裁员. |