a hand tool for working wood, consisting of a flat steel blade with a cutting edge attached to a handle of wood, plastic, etc. It is either struck with a mallet or used by hand
b.
a similar tool without a handle for working stone or metal
verbWord forms: -els, -elling, -elledWord forms: US-els, -eling or -eled
2.
to carve (wood, stone, metal, etc) or form (an engraving, statue, etc) with or as with a chisel
3. slang
to cheat or obtain by cheating
Word origin
C14: via Old French, from Vulgar Latin cīsellus (unattested), from Latin caesus cut, from caedere to cut
Examples of 'chiselling' in a sentence
chiselling
I wasn't looking at a pair of small-time operators chiselling a few grand on a dodgy land deal.
Val McDermid KICK BACK (2002)
And when he had finished chiselling and scooping and graving, there would come the polishing.
Zindell, David THE BROKEN GOD (2002)
You capped this by then chiselling your employers out of their full profit.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Clubs have spent almost two decades installing seating and would find chiselling in space for terracing a mighty challenge.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
If the vendor thinks you're chiselling him, he can always hold out for a better offer from elsewhere.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This will probably entail some drilling and chiselling, so you will need the owner's consent.