carved

IPA/kɑːvd/

KK[kˈɑrvd]IPA/kɑːrvd/

carvedpositive
carvedercomparative
carvedestsuperlative

1.adjectiveB1

Definition

used for things that people shape or mark by slicing into a solid material such as stone, wood, or bone with a sharp instrument.

Example

The old wooden door had beautiful carved flowers and leaves around the frame.

position: before noun describing decoration

On the shelf sat a small carved lion that Otis bought at a Kenyan market.

Common collocations

carved statue
carved figure
carved stone
carved wood
carved surface
carved panel
carved decoration
intricately carved
beautifully carved

Synonyms

engraved
specially used for fine lines or letters cut into a flat surface, rather than shaping the object itself
sculpted
more commonly used for stone or clay figures shaped by removing or adding material

Antonyms

plain
a surface with no cuts, patterns, or decoration at all
smooth
an untouched surface that has not been marked by any cutting tool

Grammar Patterns

carved + noun

Usage Note

Usually placed directly before the noun it describes (e.g. 'a carved statue', 'carved panels').

Common Mistakes

The wood is carved with a beautiful pattern.' (when used as a simple adjective before the noun).

The carved wood has a beautiful pattern.

'carved' as an adjective goes before the noun, while 'is carved' is a passive verb form.

carvedpresent simple I / you / we / they
carveds3rd person singular
carveding-ing form
carvededpast simple

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1

Definition

to use a sharp tool to cut into a hard substance such as stone, wood, or bone in order to create a shape, pattern, or written words on its surface.

Example

Mei spent the whole afternoon carving a small wooden bird for her little brother.

carve + object + for + recipient

The artist carved his name and the date into the bottom of the stone sculpture.

carve + sth + into + surface

Common collocations

carve wood
carve stone
carve a statue
carve a pattern
carve a design
carve an inscription
carve into
carve from
carve out of
carve with a knife
carve with a chisel

Synonyms

chisel
more specific — using a chisel tool; often implies forceful, precise removal of material
sculpt
more about creating a three-dimensional form, often by adding as well as removing material
engrave
limited to cutting lines or letters into a flat surface rather than shaping the whole object

Grammar Patterns

carve + object + into/in/from/on

carve + object + for + recipient

Usage Note

When the focus is on the material, use 'carve something from/out of something' (e.g. 'figures carved from marble'). When the focus is on the surface, use 'carve something into/on something' (e.g. 'a pattern carved into the wall').

Common Mistakes

He carved a wood statue.

He carved a wooden statue.' or 'He carved a statue from wood.

'carved' describes the result; the material is usually named with 'from' or 'out of'.

2.verbtransitiveB1

Definition

to slice a big portion of oven-cooked meat — for instance a turkey, ham, or joint of beef — into thin serving pieces, typically in front of diners at a meal.

Example

Otis carved the roast chicken at the table while everyone held their plates ready.

carve + meat at the table

Emma carved slices of lamb from the bone and placed them on a warm plate.

carve + slices of + [meat]

Common collocations

carve the turkey
carve the roast
carve the ham
carve the chicken
slice of meat
carving knife
carving fork
thin slice
at the table

Synonyms

slice
more general — can be used for any food, not just large cooked meat; 'slice' does not suggest a special table-side ritual
cut up
less formal and less precise; does not carry the ceremonial feel of carving meat at a meal

Grammar Patterns

carve + meat

carve + meat + into + slices/pieces

Usage Note

This sense usually appears in the context of a meal, especially festive dinners. The person who carves is often the host or a skilled diner. The object is always a large piece of cooked meat — never raw meat or small pieces like chicken wings.

Common Mistakes

Please carve the raw chicken before cooking it.

Please cut the raw chicken before cooking it.

'carve' is only used for cooked meat that is ready to be served.

She carved some bacon for breakfast.

She cut some bacon for breakfast.

'carve' describes slicing a large piece of meat, not small items like bacon strips.

Word family

carve
verbB1
carving
nounB1
carver
nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe removing material to create a shape or pattern, but they differ in how and where the work is done. 'Carve' is the broadest term: you can carve wood, stone, or bone, and the result can be a statue, a decorative pattern, or a simple inscription. 'Sculpt' focuses on making three-dimensional figures and is more common with stone, clay, or metal — a sculptor typically thinks about the whole form of the piece. 'Engrave' is limited to cutting fine lines or letters into a flat surface; you engrave a name on a plaque or a design on a ring, but you would not say you 'engraved a statue'. 'Chisel' names the specific tool and the action of striking it with a hammer; it implies more forceful, precise removal of small chips. A woodworker might chisel out a groove for a joint, then carve the surface decoration by hand.

carve ↗sculptengrave ↗chisel ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Prepositions

into
from
out of
on
onto

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'carve' comes from Old English 'ceorfan', meaning 'to cut, carve, engrave'. This word traces back to a Proto-Germanic root *kerfaną, which is related to the Greek 'graphein' (to write or scratch). The sense of cutting meat at the table developed in Middle English around the 1300s, several centuries after the original sense of carving wood or stone.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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carved

carved — adjective

1. used for things that people shape or mark by slicing into a solid material such

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

carved — verb

1. to use a sharp tool to cut into a hard substance such as stone, wood, or bone in

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to slice a big portion of oven-cooked meat — for instance a turkey, ham, or join

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

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