To carve means to cut or shape something by removing pieces of it carefully and deliberately. When you carve a pumpkin for Halloween, you cut away parts of it to create a face. A sculptor carves a block of marble into a statue by chipping away everything that doesn't belong. A chef carves a roasted turkey at Thanksgiving dinner by slicing the meat into portions everyone can eat.

Carving requires patience and skill because you're removing material you can't put back. A woodworker might carve an intricate design into a piece of furniture, working slowly with sharp tools to create exactly the pattern they want. Ancient peoples carved images into cave walls and stone monuments that we can still see thousands of years later.

The word can also mean to create or establish something through effort and determination. When someone carves out a career in music, they work hard to build success in a competitive field. A hiking trail carved through a forest is one that was deliberately cleared to create a path. In this sense, carving suggests creating something new by removing obstacles or making space where none existed before.