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whittle <-ling> [ˈwɪtl, Am ˈwɪt̬-] VB trans

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whittle down VB trans

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whittle away at VB trans

1. whittle away at (take little bits off):

whittle away at
ста́чивать
whittle away at
обстру́гивать

2. whittle away at (gradually decrease):

whittle away at
уменьша́ть
whittle away at
своди́ть на нет

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English
In the first week they were whittled down to ten: five men and five women.
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It was a comfortable margin, but defections always seemed to whittle down the lead and sometimes produced defeat.
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These 200 pubs then go through to the regional competition, which then whittles down to 4 pubs to go to the national final.
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The list was whittled down to two dozen ring leaders who were tried in military court.
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After some immediate closures due to unprofitability, the chain was whittled down to 10 and started to sell all of its stock at discounted prices.
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The 40 demands were whittled down to 24 in subsequent political negotiations.
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There were 95 entries for the competition from around the world, whittled down to a shortlist of six.
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He took a stick and whittled it, so it was whiter than his brothers' horses, and rode off on it.
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Over one weekend the forty were whittled down to twenty.
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It passed its second reading, but was considerably whittled down in committee, and when eventually it became law it only partially represented its sponsor's intentions.
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