chip at

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

chip at - engrave or cut by chipping away at a surface; "carve one's name into the bark" carve chisel - carve with a chisel; "chisel the marble" engrave, inscribe, grave, scratch - carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface; "engrave a pen"; "engraved the trophy cupt with the winner's"; "the lovers scratched their names into the bark of the tree" engrave, etch - carve or cut a design or letters into; "engrave the pen with the owner's name" cut - separate with or as if with an instrument; "Cut the rope" knap, break off, chip, cut off - break a small piece off from; "chip the glass"; "chip a tooth"