n. 25B6; verb
he sat whittling a piece of wood : PARE, shave, trim, carve, shape, model.
his powers were whittled away : ERODE, wear away, eat away, reduce, diminish, undermine, weaken, subvert, compromise, impair, impede, hinder, cripple, disable, enfeeble, sap.
the ten teams have been whittled down to six : REDUCE, cut down, cut back, prune, trim, slim down, pare down, shrink, decrease, diminish.