Carve v.

Forms: 1 ceorfan, 2 keruen, 2–3 keoruen, 3 keorfen, (curuen), 4 cerue, 4–6 kerue, 5–7 kerve, 6–7 karve, 5– carve. Pa. t. α. 1 cearf, 3–5 carf, 3 kerf, (subj. kurue), 4 karf, karue, carue, corue, 4–5 carfe, 5 kerue, carff; pl. 1 curfon, 3–4 corue(n, 4 corwen. β. 4 keruet, 5 carft, 5– carved. Pa. pple. α. 1 corfen, 3–4 i-coruen, 3–6 coruen, 4 coruun, koruun, ykoruen, corn, caruen, kerue, 4–5 (y)corue, (y) coruyn, 5 coruene, 6 keruen, 6, 9 carven; β. 5 keruyd, 6 kerued, 6– carved. [Common Teut.: OE. str. vb. ceorfan, cearf, pl. curfon, corven, corresp. to OFris. kerva, MDu. and Du. kerven, MHG. and mod.G. kerben, to notch, carve, (pa. pple. gekurben occurs in MHG., in Niederrheinisch); not known in OHG. or Gothic: OTeut. type *kerfan, karf, pl. kurƀum, korƀan. Cf. also Icel. kyrfa to carve, Da. karve to notch, indent, Sw. karfwa to notch, carve. The Teut. word is generally held to be cognate with Gr. γράφ-ειν to write, orig. to scratch or engrave; pointing to an Aryan gṛph-. the original strong conjugation has become weak as in all the mod. langs., but the pa. pple. carven is still used as an archaic form.

  The normal mod. repr. of ceorf- would be cherve: c was prob. retained here by influence of curfon, corven. The ar for earlier er is as in ARBOUR, bark, etc.]

  I.  † 1. trans. To CUT: formerly the ordinary word for that action in all its varieties.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Mark v. 5. Hine sylfne mid stanum ceorfende.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 87. To keruen þat fel biforen on his strenende lime.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 7241. Quils sampson slepped … His hare sco kerf.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 40. Quen corne is coruen with crokez kene.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prioresses T., 159. Ther he with throte ykoruen lay.

c. 1420.  Liber Cocorum (1862), 40. Kerve appuls overtwert and cast þerin.

c. 1450.  Bk. Curtasye, 765, in Babees Bk. With brede y-coruyn.

1480.  Caxton, Descr. Brit., 45. They wolde … pricke and kerue her owne bodyes.

1560.  ed. of Chaucer’s Boeth., I. 198 b/2. They … corven and renten my clothes.

  † b.  With various extensions, as of kerven, to cut off; to carve (a limb) from any one; to carve asunder, in two, in or to pieces; to carve (a knight) out of his armor. Obs.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Lev. viii. 20. Hiʓ curfon ðone ram eall to sticceon.

c. 1025.  O. E. Chron., an. 1014. He cearf of heora handa and heora nosa.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1810), 560. Sir Willam Mautrauers Carf him of fet & honde.

c. 1325.  Chron. Eng., 757, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 301. Hys legges hy corven of anon.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 244. Þe dede body þe[i] britten on four quarters corn.

1382.  Wyclif, Hosea xiv. 1. Wymmen with chijld of it ben coruen out.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1838. Tho was he corven out of his harneys.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 9468. He karve hit of cleane. Ibid., 9832. He kylles our knightes, kerues hom in sonder.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 4223. Laces and stringes he kerue on twoo.

1485.  Caxton, Chas. Gt., 222. He carf hym asondre in the myddes.

  † c.  fig. Obs. (with influence of other senses).

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 17. Þeo þat habbið fram ham icoruen flesches lustes.

138[?].  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 231. A sworde sharpe … to kerve awey synne.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Monkes T., 467. His estate fortune fro him carf.

  † d.  intr. or absol. Obs.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 384. Gif eax ne kurue, ne þe spade ne dulue … hwo kepte ham uorte holden?

c. 1314.  Guy Warw. (A.), 4066. Thai corwen þurch liuer and þurch lunge.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 6674. He … Corve euyn at the kyng with a kene sword.

1430.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xi. Y^e lyue y^t carueth through the centre.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XII. v. 217. Onto hys chyn the edge did carvin doun.

  † 2.  trans. To cleave (as by cutting). Obs.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1547. As a coltour in clay cerues þo forȝes.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Former Age, 21. No ship yit karf the wawes grene.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, II. xvii. (1554), 56 a. A great hyl … carf on twain, Not farre asyde from the towne.

1604.  T. Wright, Passions, V. § 2. 170. The filing of iron … almost all men … abhorre to heare … for that the aire so carued, punisheth and fretteth the heart.

  † 3.  a. To circumcise. b. To castrate (a cock).

c. 1420.  Circumcision (Tundale’s Vis., 86). The chylde was corve therwith.

1586.  Bright, Melanch., xxxix. 259. Generally of fowle the carued is better, tean the other. Of beastes the gelded haue preferment.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, I. 280. If they be once carued and made capons they crow no more.

1678.  Littleton, Lat. Dict., To carve as cockrels are carved.

  4.  To cut (a way or passage). Also fig.

1490.  Caxton, Eneydos, xxvii. 97. The shippes … carfe waie in the water.

1813.  Byron, Giaour, xxxv. To such let others carve their way.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xxiii. 232. The axe was often indispensable to carve our path through the hummocks.

1865.  J. G. Holland, Plain Talk, iii. 115. It is by work that man carves his way to that measure of power which will fit him for his destiny, and leave him nearest God.

  II.  To cut artistically or ornamentally.

  5.  trans. a. To hew, cut or sculpture (any solid figure, an image, out of stone, in irory, etc.); to make or shape artistically by cutting.

a. 1000.  Rood, 66 (Gr.). Curfon hie ðæt moldern of beorhtan stane.

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 292. He … carff welle ymagus and peynted bothe.

1535.  Coverdale, Isa. xl. 20. Morouer shal the ymage maker … carue therout an ymage.

1700.  Dryden, Ovid’s Met., X. Pygmalion, 7 (J.).

1855.  Tennyson, Maud, I. viii. An angel watching an urn Wept over her, carved in stone.

1878.  Huxley, Physiogr., 207. Each column, though upwards of forty feet high, has been carved out of a single block of green marble.

  b.  To fashion (a material) into some shape by cutting, chiselling or sculpturing.

1535.  Coverdale, Wisd. xiii. 13. He carueth it [wood] diligently … and … fashioneth it after the similitude of a man.

1693.  Bentley, Atheism, Boyle Lect., 26 (J.). Had Dinocrates really carved Mount Athos into a Statue of Alexander the Great [etc.]?

  6.  To cut or engrave figures, either in relief or intaglio, on (in, into) a surface.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2700. He carf in two gummes of pris Two likenesses.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Milleres T., 132. With Powles wyndowes corven on his schoos.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 219/1. Thistory of her was … entayled & coruen in the sepulcre.

1542.  Udall, trans. Erasm. Apoph., 332 b. An other [chaire of estate] with whippes kerued in it.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 9. Carue on euery Tree, The faire, the chaste, and vnexpressiue shee.

1643.  Milton, Divorce, II. vi. (1851), 77. To carve into his flesh the mark of that strict and pure cov’nant.

c. 1800.  Southey, Retrospect. Some idle hind Carves his rude name within a sapling’s rind.

1817.  Wolfe, Burial Sir J. Moore, viii. We carved not a line and we raised not a stone.

  b.  to cover or adorn (wood, stone, etc.) with figures so cut on or in the surface.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, 1295. Which [gate] that so wel corven was.

c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 161. Þe pileres weren … queynteli i-coruen wiþ curiouse knottes.

1570.  Levins, Manip., 34/21. To carve wood, insculpere.

1611.  Bible, 1 Kings vi. 29. Hee carued all the walles of the house round about with carued figures of Cherubims.

1698.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 632. Nor Box … smooth-grained … which curious Hands may kerve.

1703.  Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 77. Carv’d in such a manner, as to resemble a piece of wainscot.

1832.  Tennyson, Pal. Art, 138. A million wrinkles carved his skin.

1875.  Longf., Masq. Pandora, V. Yon oaken chest, carven with figures.

1883.  G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 84. Sarcophagi carved with old Christian emblems.

  7.  intr. or absol. To cut figures or designs; to practise the sculptor’s or engraver’s art.

1567.  Maplet, Gr. Forest, 12 b. Kaman the stone … is easie to be engrauen and carued in.

1591.  Harington, Orl. Fur., II. xxxiii. He that carves and drawes with equall praise.

1841–4.  Emerson, Ess. Art, Wks. (Bohn), I. 147. We carve and paint, or we behold what is carved and painted.

1858.  Gladstone, Homer, I. 14. Where other poets sketch, Homer draws; and where they draw he carves.

  III.  8. intr. To cut up meat at table. † To carve to: to serve, ‘help’ (any one at a meal).

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 233. Tech him … Biuore me to kerue, And of the cupe serue.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 100. He … carf biforn his fader at the table.

1484.  Caxton, Chyualry, 17. Euery man that wylle come to knyghthode hym behoueth to lerne in his yougthe to kerue at the table.

c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 283. There Gouernar carued to the lady ryght goodly with his knyfe.

1625.  Sanderson, Serm. (1681), I. 133. Give them from your own, but do not carve them from another’s trencher.

1665.  Boyle, Occas. Refl., III. v. (1675), 152. Upon his being Carv’d to at a Feast.

1727.  Swift, Gulliver, II. iii. 122. A bit of meat … out of which I carved for myself.

1751.  Chesterf., Lett., ccxi. A man who tells you gravely that he cannot carve.

1868.  Q. Victoria, Journ. Life Highlands, 210. General Grey and Lady Churchill carved.

  b.  trans. e.g., To carve a fowl, a joint, etc.

c. 1529.  Frith, Antith. (1829), 301. Men to carve his [Pope’s] morsels.

1598.  Chapman, Iliad, V. N (R.).

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, V. i. 157. A calues head and a Capon, the which if I do not carue most curiously, say my knife’s naught.

1865.  Trollope, Belton Est., xxiv. 286. Captain Aylmer … would have carved the roast fowl with much more skill.

  9.  fig. a. intr. To help or serve (oneself or others) at one’s own discretion, to do at one’s pleasure, indulge oneself.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 20. Hee may not, as vnuallued persons doe, Carue for himselfe.

1602.  Warner, Alb. Eng., IX. li. (1612), 232. Which of the Patriarks, Prophets, or Gods people … vnto their owne Affections caru’d.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 581. They shall carve themselves of your punishment, and their owne advancement at their pleasure. Ibid. (1649), Cases Consc., II. x. (1654), 159. Thus to carve himselfe of Justice, is manifestly to violate lawfull authority.

1691.  Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. 35. When some common and great Distress … emboldens them to carve to their wants with armed Force.

  † b.  trans. To apportion at discretion, to assign as one’s portion or lot, to take at one’s pleasure.

1578.  Banister, Hist. Man, IV. 51. Be sapient therfore Reader … not captious in caruing a fault.

1650.  Hobbes, De Corp. Pol. (1652) 32. Where every man carveth out his own right, it hath the same effect, as if there were no right at all.

1662.  Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. iv. 18. Carving a good portion of honour to themselves.

1742.  Middleton, Cicero, I. I. 33. Licence being indulged to an insolent army of carving for themselves what fortunes they pleased.

1755.  Young, Centaur, ii. (1757), IV. 159. God’s promises are better than anything we can carve for ourselves.

  10.  To cut up or subdivide.

1711.  Shaftesb., Charact. (1737), III. 112. Our second head we shou’d again subdivide into firsts and seconds, but that this manner of carving is of late days grown much out of fashion.

1818.  Cruise, Digest, VI. 379. The testator … has carved the whole fee in particular estates.

1870.  Bryant, Iliad, I. I. 25. All the rest was carved into small portions.

1875.  Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. v. 97. The Country was carved into equal districts.

  11.  The alliterative phrase cut and carve goes back to the 14th c. when the two words were equivalent, and cut was beginning to take the place of carve: it is still used, though mostly fig., and prob. carve is now usually taken in the preceding or some of the extant senses.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. lxiv. (1495), 181. The skynne is callyd cutis in latyn, for it … is ofte kytte and coruen. Ibid., XVII. cii. 667. Bowes of mirra ben kerue and kytte and slytte.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 1887. This arwe was kene grounde, As ony rasour that is founde, To kutte and kerve.

1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Divinitie, ii. Which with the edge of wit they cut and carve.

1799.  H. Hunter, trans. St. Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (ed. 2), I. Introd. 8. Mr. L. T. Rede … proceeds to cut and carve me down into … a careful abridgement.

1812.  Combe (Dr. Syntax), Picturesque, XIX. 72. To the last he’d cut and carve.

  12.  To carve out: a. (in Legal lang.) To cut a smaller or subordinate estate out of a larger one.

1625.  Burges, Pers. Tithes, 21. To carue out his whole maintenance out of their estates.

1767.  Blackstone, Comm., II. 107. The fee-simple … is generally vested and resides in some person or other; though divers inferior estates may be carved out of it.

1876.  Digby, Real Prop., v. § 2. 215. The estate of tenant in tail was, according to the metaphorical expression of the lawyers, ‘carved out of,’ that is, less than an estate in fee simple and different from it.

1879.  E. J. Castle, Law of Rating, 66. The interests carved out or subordinate to his occupation.

1885.  Law Rep., 29 Chanc. Div. 255. A lease … carved out of a term created by a lease of the 27th of June, 1797.

  b.  transf. (Sometimes also in other senses, esp. 1 and 4.)

1605.  Shaks., Macb., I. ii. 19. Braue Macbeth … with his brandisht Steele … caru’d out his passage.

1695.  Blackmore, Pr. Arth., VII. 579. The valiant … carve out to themselves propitious Fate.

1716–7.  Bentley, Serm., xi. 374. Carving out his own satisfaction in every object of Desire.

1867.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. vi. 465. Roger now sought … to carve out a dominion for himself.

1874.  Blackie, Self-Cult., 77. Persistency will carve out a way to unexpected success.

1875.  McLaren, Serm., Ser. II. viii. 144. No matter what honour they have carved out for themselves with their swords.

  † 13.  fig. (with reference to speech) Schmidt suggests ‘To show great courtesy and affability.’ Obs.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 323. He can carue too, and lispe: Why this is he That kist away his hand in courtesie. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., I. iii. 49. Shee discourses: shee carues: she giues the leere of inuitation.