chip away

1. To break off fragments of something. We won't be able to move this huge rock until we chip away at it and make it smaller.

2. To come off of something in small pieces. The paint is so old that it has completely chipped away from this side of the house.

3. To complete small, incremental portions of a task. Try not to get too overwhelmed about cleaning the house and just chip away at it one room at a time.

See also: away, chip

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

chip something away (from something)

to break off tiny pieces of something. Many years of heavy use chipped the marble steps away. Someone chipped away little bits of the marble from that step.

See also: away, chip

chip away

[for something] to break off or break away in small chips. The edges of the marble step chipped away over the years. Some of the stone figures had chipped away so badly that we couldn't see what they were.

See also: away, chip

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

chip away

1. To fall or break off in small pieces: The old paint chipped away from the frame when we opened the window.

2. To break off small pieces of something: Don't chip away the paint with a screwdriver. I chipped the enamel away with a scraper.

3. chip away at To reduce or make progress on something incrementally: We chipped away at the problem until it was solved. I chipped away at the dried cement on the tiles.

See also: away, chip

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

See also:

be off for (something)
be off for sth
break off
base off (of) (something else)
check off
blow off
blow someone/something off
bite off
(I've) got to take off
be off with you

References in periodicals archive

The rescue team had to burrow beneath a rugby pitch and chip away at the concrete pipe as Sam the golden retriever yelped in distress.

Rescuers save dog down pipe

Religious Right groups and their allies are now looking for ways to chip away First Amendment rights while spouting platitudes about "free speech" at the same time.

Battering The Wall Of Separation: Child's Play?

A grim, humourless group of people, they systematically chip away at the country's moral foundations.

God still in Constitution (Canada)

Enzymes continually repair the damage that free radicals cause when they chip away at DNA, Metting says.

More than one way to mutate a cell's DNA

Now they're attempting to chip away affirmative action provisions by attaching an endless stream of amendments to reauthorization bills.

Washington report: affirmative action onslaught persists

They freed him after three hours using 3ft-long cliff spikes to chip away rocks around his head.

Boy, 3, in rocks hell

While homeowners indifferently enjoy the benefits of tax-deductible interest associated with the mortgage on their home, many do not realize the array of limitations and other landmines that Congress has subtly added to the tax code in order to chip away at this sacred cow.

Homeowners are harmed by changes in tax code

Stimpson continued to chip away at the Quins lead and two further penalties midway through the second half bought the Tigers to within touching distance at 13-9 before converting his own late try.

Sport in brief: RUGBY UNION

Two new studies chip away at--but do not entirely undermine--the case that a meteorite from Mars contains fossils of ancient life from the Red Planet.

Report raises questions about Martian rock

Pundits and politicians who describe themselves as pro-choice have been strangely complicit in the effort to chip away at abortion rights.

Abortion under fire

But since the Act's introduction the powers that be have seen fit to chip away at it - diluting this crucial piece of legislation.

IRISH DAILY Mirror COMMENT: Secret fears

[Paragraph] His plan to boost the taxes paid by relatively well-off Social Security recipients "looks like the next step in a plan to chip away at Social Security from the top and turn it into a means-tested welfare program," as Doug Henwood pointed out in Left Business Observer.

Flash and filigree

Nonetheless, materials scientists continue to chip away at fabrication problems that threaten to keep these remarkable ceramics from becoming useful in some potentially far-reaching items--such as superconducting electrical power lines -- featured on many a technological wish list.

Getting the creeps out of superconductors

A document in my possession, codenamed - and I kid you not - "Chip Away", details a strategy to force staff to work harder while marginalising GMB representatives.

Kevin Maguire: ASDA

Fragments of another, smaller pseudodontorn were visible on the surface of the block, but the extensive skeleton it encased was not revealed until Smithsonian scientists began to chip away the hardened material early this year.

Fossil skeleton gets seabird size record

词组	chip away
释义	chip away chip away 1. To break off fragments of something. We won't be able to move this huge rock until we chip away at it and make it smaller. 2. To come off of something in small pieces. The paint is so old that it has completely chipped away from this side of the house. 3. To complete small, incremental portions of a task. Try not to get too overwhelmed about cleaning the house and just chip away at it one room at a time. See also: away, chip Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. chip something away (from something) to break off tiny pieces of something. Many years of heavy use chipped the marble steps away. Someone chipped away little bits of the marble from that step. See also: away, chip chip away [for something] to break off or break away in small chips. The edges of the marble step chipped away over the years. Some of the stone figures had chipped away so badly that we couldn't see what they were. See also: away, chip McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. chip away v. 1. To fall or break off in small pieces: The old paint chipped away from the frame when we opened the window. 2. To break off small pieces of something: Don't chip away the paint with a screwdriver. I chipped the enamel away with a scraper. 3. chip away at To reduce or make progress on something incrementally: We chipped away at the problem until it was solved. I chipped away at the dried cement on the tiles. See also: away, chip The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. See also: be off for (something) be off for sth break off base off (of) (something else) check off blow off blow someone/something off bite off (I've) got to take off be off with you References in periodicals archive The rescue team had to burrow beneath a rugby pitch and chip away at the concrete pipe as Sam the golden retriever yelped in distress. Rescuers save dog down pipe Religious Right groups and their allies are now looking for ways to chip away First Amendment rights while spouting platitudes about "free speech" at the same time. Battering The Wall Of Separation: Child's Play? A grim, humourless group of people, they systematically chip away at the country's moral foundations. God still in Constitution (Canada) Enzymes continually repair the damage that free radicals cause when they chip away at DNA, Metting says. More than one way to mutate a cell's DNA Now they're attempting to chip away affirmative action provisions by attaching an endless stream of amendments to reauthorization bills. Washington report: affirmative action onslaught persists They freed him after three hours using 3ft-long cliff spikes to chip away rocks around his head. Boy, 3, in rocks hell While homeowners indifferently enjoy the benefits of tax-deductible interest associated with the mortgage on their home, many do not realize the array of limitations and other landmines that Congress has subtly added to the tax code in order to chip away at this sacred cow. Homeowners are harmed by changes in tax code Stimpson continued to chip away at the Quins lead and two further penalties midway through the second half bought the Tigers to within touching distance at 13-9 before converting his own late try. Sport in brief: RUGBY UNION Two new studies chip away at--but do not entirely undermine--the case that a meteorite from Mars contains fossils of ancient life from the Red Planet. Report raises questions about Martian rock Pundits and politicians who describe themselves as pro-choice have been strangely complicit in the effort to chip away at abortion rights. Abortion under fire But since the Act's introduction the powers that be have seen fit to chip away at it - diluting this crucial piece of legislation. IRISH DAILY Mirror COMMENT: Secret fears [Paragraph] His plan to boost the taxes paid by relatively well-off Social Security recipients "looks like the next step in a plan to chip away at Social Security from the top and turn it into a means-tested welfare program," as Doug Henwood pointed out in Left Business Observer. Flash and filigree Nonetheless, materials scientists continue to chip away at fabrication problems that threaten to keep these remarkable ceramics from becoming useful in some potentially far-reaching items--such as superconducting electrical power lines -- featured on many a technological wish list. Getting the creeps out of superconductors A document in my possession, codenamed - and I kid you not - "Chip Away", details a strategy to force staff to work harder while marginalising GMB representatives. Kevin Maguire: ASDA Fragments of another, smaller pseudodontorn were visible on the surface of the block, but the extensive skeleton it encased was not revealed until Smithsonian scientists began to chip away the hardened material early this year. Fossil skeleton gets seabird size record
随便看	pitch (one) a yarn pitch out pitch over pitch-perfect pitch (something) at pitch (something) to pitch the woo pitch up pitch upon pitch woo pith pith of the matter pit in pit of stomach pit (one's) wits against (someone or something) pit out pits pit (someone or something) against (someone or something else) pit stop pitted pity put (one) on the spot put one out put (one) out of humour put (one) out of (something or some place)