chip something away (from something)

chip something away (from something)
chip something away(from something)
to break off tiny pieces of something. •

Many years of heavy use chipped the marble steps away.

Someone chipped away little bits of the marble from that step.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • chip — chip1 W3S2 [tʃıp] n ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(food)¦ 2¦(computer)¦ 3¦(piece)¦ 4¦(mark)¦ 5 have a chip on your shoulder 6 when the chips are down 7 be a chip off the old block 8¦(game)¦ 9¦(sport)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • chip — [[t]tʃɪ̱p[/t]] ♦♦♦ chips, chipping, chipped 1) N COUNT: usu pl Chips are long, thin pieces of potato fried in oil or fat and eaten hot, usually with a meal. [BRIT] I had fish and chips in a cafe... Frank Browne shook more sauce over his chips.… …   English dictionary

  • chip — ► NOUN 1) a small, thin piece removed in the course of cutting or breaking a hard material. 2) a blemish left by the removal of such a piece. 3) chiefly Brit. a long rectangular piece of deep fried potato. 4) (also potato chip) chiefly N. Amer. a …   English terms dictionary

  • chip — chip1 [ tʃıp ] noun count ** ▸ 1 piece of potato ▸ 2 in computers ▸ 3 small piece ▸ 4 in games for money ▸ 5 in sport ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) usually plural AMERICAN a very thin round piece of potato cooked in hot oil and eaten cold. British crisp:… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • chip away — phrasal verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms chip away : present tense I/you/we/they chip away he/she/it chips away present participle chipping away past tense chipped away past participle chipped away 1) to gradually make something weaker,… …   English dictionary

  • chip off — verb break off (a piece from a whole) Her tooth chipped • Syn: ↑chip, ↑come off, ↑break away, ↑break off • Derivationally related forms: ↑chip (for: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • chip — chip1 chippable, adj. /chip/, n., v., chipped, chipping. n. 1. a small, slender piece, as of wood, separated by chopping, cutting, or breaking. 2. a very thin slice or small piece of food, candy, etc.: chocolate chips. 3. a mark or flaw made by… …   Universalium

  • chip — noun 1》 a small, thin piece removed in the course of chopping, cutting, or breaking a hard material.     ↘a blemish left by the removal of a chip.     ↘Brit. wood or woody fibre split into thin strips and used for weaving hats or baskets. 2》 Brit …   English new terms dictionary

  • ˌchip (sth) aˈway — phrasal verb 1) to gradually make something weaker, smaller, or less effective Her comments were beginning to chip away at his self confidence.[/ex] 2) to remove small pieces from something hard by hitting it with a tool She was chipping away at… …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • break away — verb 1. move away or escape suddenly (Freq. 2) The horses broke from the stable Three inmates broke jail Nobody can break out this prison is high security • Syn: ↑break, ↑break out • Derivationally relat …   Useful english dictionary

  • take away — verb 1. remove from a certain place, environment, or mental or emotional state; transport into a new location or state (Freq. 5) Their dreams carried the Romantics away into distant lands The car carried us off to the meeting I ll take you away… …   Useful english dictionary

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