whittle down

英 [ˈwɪtl daʊn]

美 [ˈwɪtl daʊn]

逐渐减少; 逐渐压缩…的人数

柯林斯词典

• PHRASAL VERB 逐渐减少;逐渐压缩…的人数
  Towhittle downa group or thing means to gradually make it smaller.
  1. He had whittled eight interviewees down to two...
     他已经逐渐将参加面试的人数由8人减少到2人。
  2. By September, they will have whittled the list down to a winner...
     9月之前他们会从名单中确定出最后的赢家。
  3. The president has agreed to whittle down his proposal.
     总统已经同意减少他的提案。

英英释义

verb

• cut away in small pieces
  Synonym:whittle awaywear away

双语例句

• Whittle the stick down a bit more.
  把木棍再削细点儿。
• Write out the complete story, he advises, and then whittle it down to a series of concise descriptive bullet points.
  他建议，写出整个故事，然后再浓缩为一系列简明扼要的叙述。
• Their resistance and boycott threat might instead be more of an effort to whittle down the markup that Rio Tinto is seeking in current contract negotiations.
  他们的反对和抵制威胁或许更是一种为打击力拓的涨价企图而采取的策略。
• The president has agreed to whittle down his proposal.
  总统已经同意减少他的提案。
• By September, they will have whittled the list down to a winner
  9月之前他们会从名单中确定出最后的赢家。
• Just whittle it down, you know?
  把它简化一点？
• Other ways to whittle down banks are thinkable.
  另外一些削减银行的办法是值得考虑的。
• They are trying to whittle down our salaries.
  他们正着手削减我们的薪水。
• He had whittled eight interviewees down to two
  他已经逐渐将参加面试的人数由8人减少到2人。
• Don't whittle the stick down too much or it won't be long enough.
  别把那棍削得太多，不然就不够长了。