chip away atsomething
phrasal verbwithchipverb[IorT]uk/tʃɪp/us/tʃɪp/-pp-
tograduallyreducesomething so that itbecomessmallerorweaker:
Hegraduallychippedaway at herconfidence.
Invaderschippedaway at thefringesoftheirempire.
Fees willchipaway atyoursmallinvestmentfunds.
Becoming and making smaller or less
- abridgment
- attenuate
- attenuated
- attenuating
- attenuation
- boil
- damp
- falling-off
- foreshorten
- foreshortened
- go through the flooridiom
- haircut
- lessen
- runsomeone/somethingdown
- rundown
- sag
- salami slicing
- scalesomethingdown
- shave
- telescope