刀對著材料：刻與切
這一族就是核心畫面本身，三個意思差在「刀下去之後留下什麼」：一個完整的物件、一道痕跡，還是一盤分好的肉。
carve, sculpt · verb · C2
To make an object or a pattern by cutting a piece of wood or stone.
雕刻
核心畫面
One way to picture it: cutting into something solid, slowly and on purpose, taking material away until a shape you wanted is left behind.
手裡拿著刀，對著一塊木頭或石頭一刀一刀地削。carve 跟 cut 差在兩個地方——它是「慢慢地、有意圖地」，而且它…更多收起
手裡拿著刀，對著一塊木頭或石頭一刀一刀地削。carve 跟 cut 差在兩個地方——它是「慢慢地、有意圖地」，而且它是「減法」：你不是加東西上去，是把多餘的拿掉，讓本來就藏在裡面的形狀露出來。刀走過的地方回不去了，所以 carve 出來的東西帶著一種「留下痕跡」的感覺。From the word’s history
From Old English ceorfan "to cut, cut down, carve", from Proto-Germanic *kerbaną — the sense has been "cut into" from the start.
carve 一路來自古英語 ceorfan，意思就是「切、割、刻」，再往上是原始日耳曼語 *kerbaną。這個字從頭到尾就是「用刀切進去」，沒有轉過彎；有趣的是它跟德文的 kerben（刻凹槽）、以及英文的 kerf（鋸子切出來的那道縫）同源，三個字共用的都是「刀切出一道痕」這個畫面。
Wiktionary etymology tree supplied in the payload (PIE *gerbʰ- > Proto-Germanic *kerbaną > Old English ċeorfan > Middle English kerven).
Two branches
刀對著抽象的東西：開出來、削掉
直接從核心的「慢慢削、把不要的拿掉、留下想要的形狀」延伸出去，只是被削的對象從木頭石頭換成了抽象或巨大的東西。
carve out a career · verb · C2
To succeed in getting the job, position, or kind of life that you want, often by working hard over time.
開創
原始詞典資料8 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
carveverb/kɑɹv/
- 1
archaicTo cut.
- My good blade carves the casques of men, / My tough lance thrusteth sure, / My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure.
- 2
To cut meat in order to serve it.
- You carve the roast and I’ll serve the vegetables.
- 3
To shape to sculptural effect; to produce (a work) by cutting, or to cut (a material) into a finished work, especially with cuts that are curved rather than only straight slices.
- to carve a name into a tree
- The facades of the buildings fronting upon the avenue within the wall were richly carven[…].
- 4
hobbieslifestylesnowboardingTo perform a series of turns without pivoting, so that the tip and tail of the snowboard take the same path.
- 5
To take or make, as by cutting; to provide.
- […] who could easily have carved themselves their own food.
- The Reds carved the first opening of the second period as Glen Johnson's pull-back found David Ngog but the Frenchman hooked wide from six yards.
- 6
To lay out; to contrive; to design; to plan.
- Lie ten nights awake carving the fashion of a new doublet.
carvenoun/kɑɹv/
- 1
obsoleteA carucate.
- ... half a carve of arable land in Ballyncore, one carve of arable land in Pales, a quarter of arable land in Clonnemeagh, half a carve of arable land in Ballyfaden, half a carve of arable land in Ballymadran, ...
- Whereof John de Ditton holds a moiety of the village for half a carve of land.
- 2
The act of carving
- Give that turkey a careful carve.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。