whittle away (verb)

1. In the cartoon, the woodpecker was seen whittling away a piece of wood with its beak.

2. The master carver delicately whittled away at the wooden saint, creating intricate details for the religious statue.

3. During the pioneer days, settlers would whittle away at logs to create practical tools and utensils for everyday use.

4. The superhero in the comic book used his laser vision to whittle away a metal barrier and rescue the trapped civilians.