EXAMPLES FROM THE WEB FOR WHITTLE
"Yes; I get a lot of help from you while there's a stick to whittle," replied the smith.
He taught her to whittle, and how to bear it when she “bleeded.”
"Here's my knife; let's whittle some shavings," offered Jack.
P'raps as a sailor lad yuh could whittle out a pair to answer.
Netting is taught, and the soldiers are encouraged to whittle.
Having got his wife out of the way, Lou sat down on the step and began to whittle.
Since then, I sit and whittle splints for my admirable wife.
When you trade, Ben, don't chew a straw, but sit down and whittle.
Let me whittle the bark off the sapling, so it will not hurt your hands.
He is not good for mooch, but he like that whittle kind of work, I know.
WORD ORIGIN
1550s, "to cut thin shavings from (something) with a knife," from Middle English whittel "a knife" (c1400), variant of thwittle (late 14c.), from Old English þwitan "to cut," from Proto-Germanic *thwitanan (cf. Old Norse þveita "to hew"). Figurative sense is attested from 1746. Related: Whittled; whittling.