chisel Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge
  2. verb engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud
    cheat.
    • Who's chiseling on the side?
  3. verb deprive somebody of something by deceit
    cheat; rip off.
    • The con-man beat me out of $50
    • This salesman ripped us off!
    • we were cheated by their clever-sounding scheme
    • They chiseled me out of my money
  4. verb carve with a chisel
    • chisel the marble

WordNet


Chis"el noun
Etymology
OF. chisel, F. ciseau, fr. LL. cisellus, prob. for caesellus, fr. L. caesus, p. p. of caedere to cut. Cf. Scissors.
Definitions
  1. A tool with a cutting edge on one end of a metal blade, used in dressing, shaping, or working in timber, stone, metal, etc.; -- usually driven by a mallet or hammer.
Chis"el transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. F. ciseler.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Chiseled or Chiselled (); present participle & verbal noun Chiseling, or Chiselling
Definitions
  1. To cut, pare, gouge, or engrave with a chisel; as, to chisel a block of marble into a statue.
  2. To cut close, as in a bargain; to cheat. Slang

Webster 1913