v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Carved p. pr. & vb. n. Carving. ] [ AS. ceorfan to cut, carve; akin to D. kerven, G. kerben, Dan. karve, Sw. karfva, and to Gr. gra`fein to write, orig. to scratch, and E. -graphy. Cf. Graphic. ] 1. To cut. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Or they will carven the shepherd's throat. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. To cut, as wood, stone, or other material, in an artistic or decorative manner; to sculpture; to engrave. [ 1913 Webster ] Carved with figures strange and sweet. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. To make or shape by cutting, sculpturing, or engraving; to form; as, to carve a name on a tree. [ 1913 Webster ] An angel carved in stone. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ] We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone. C. Wolfe. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. To cut into small pieces or slices, as meat at table; to divide for distribution or apportionment; to apportion. “To carve a capon.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. To cut: to hew; to mark as if by cutting. [ 1913 Webster ] My good blade carved the casques of men. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ] A million wrinkles carved his skin. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. To take or make, as by cutting; to provide. [ 1913 Webster ] Who could easily have carved themselves their own food. South. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. To lay out; to contrive; to design; to plan. [ 1913 Webster ] Lie ten nights awake carving the fashion of a new doublet. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
To carve out, to make or get by cutting, or as if by cutting; to cut out. “[ Macbeth ] with his brandished steel . . . carved out his passage.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Fortunes were carved out of the property of the crown. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ] | 
