Chisel — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈchi-zᵊl/ chis·el

Meaning & Definition of Chisel

Chisel (noun)

  1. a metal tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip, carve, or cut into a solid material (such as wood, stone, or metal)

Chisel (verb)

  1. to cut or work with or as if with a chisel
  2. to employ shrewd or unfair practices on in order to obtain one's end; also, to obtain by such practices
  3. to work with or as if with a chisel

Chisel (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to rob by the use of trickery or threats

    "ruthlessly chiseled other students out of their lunch money"

    similar: beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, gaff, hose (slang), hustle, mulct, nobble (British slang), pluck, ream, rip off, rook, screw, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize, sell a bill of goods to, take for a ride, take to the cleaners
    related: extort, wrench, wrest, wring, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle, fast-talk

Related Entry: Chisel (in) (verb)

Chisel (in) is a different word from Chisel. The synonyms below are for chisel (in), not for chisel.

  1. as in invade, infringe

    similar: barge (in), encroach, infringe, invade, trespass, intercede, interpose, intervene, fiddle, fool, monkey, play, tamper, butt in, interfere, interlope, intermeddle, intrude, meddle, mess, muck (about or around), nose, obtrude, poke, pry, snoop
    opposite: avoid, eschew, shun, disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Chisel

The most common words with a similar meaning to Chisel:

Slang: hose
British slang: nobble
beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle, do, do in, euchre, fiddle, fleece, flimflam, gaff, hustle, mulct, pluck, ream, rip off, rook, screw, shake down, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, victimize, sell a bill of goods to, take for a ride, take to the cleaners

Related Words for Chisel

extort, wrench, wrest, wring, clip, gouge, nick, overcharge, soak, exploit, milk, deceive, dupe, fool, gull, trick, rope (in), betray, bitch, double-cross, bamboozle, fast-talk

Word Forms of Chisel

Inflections: chiseled, chiselled, chiseling, chiselling

Derived words: chiseler (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Chisel

Middle English, from Anglo-French *chisel, cisel, from Vulgar Latin *cisellum, alteration of caesellum, from Latin caesus, past participle of caedere to cut

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Chisel

Words & Phrases Containing Chisel

cold chisel, firmer chisel

Frequently Asked Questions about Chisel

What does "Chisel" mean?

"Chisel" means a metal tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip, carve, or cut into a solid material (such as wood, stone, or metal). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a metal tool with a sharpened edge at one end used to chip, carve, or cut into a solid material (such as wood, stone, or metal).

What is another word for "Chisel"?

Other words for "Chisel" include beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chouse, con, cozen and defraud. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Chisel" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Chisel"?

There are 63 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Chisel". Common alternatives include beat, bilk, bleed, cheat, chouse, con, cozen, defraud, diddle and do.

How do you use "Chisel" in a sentence?

Examples of "Chisel" in a sentence: "ruthlessly chiseled other students out of their lunch money".

Is "Chisel" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Chisel" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Chisel" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Chisel" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Chisel"?

"Chisel" is pronounced /ˈchi-zᵊl/ and divided into syllables as chis·el.

What is the origin of the word "Chisel"?

"Chisel" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French *chisel, cisel, from Vulgar Latin *cisellum, alteration of caesellum, from Latin caesus, past participle of caedere to cut. First known use: 14th century.