n. [ AS. hwītel, from hwit white; akin to Icel. hvītill a white bed cover. See White. ] (a) A grayish, coarse double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the shoulders, like a cloak or shawl. C. Kingsley. (b) Same as Whittle shawl, below. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whittle shawl, a kind of fine woolen shawl, originally and especially a white one. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. thwitel, fr. AS. pwītan to cut. Cf. Thwittle, Thwaite a piece of ground. ] A knife; esp., a pocket, sheath, or clasp knife. “A butcher's whittle.” Dryden. “Rude whittles.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

He wore a Sheffield whittle in his hose. Betterton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Whittled p. pr. & vb. n. Whittling ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To pare or cut off the surface of with a small knife; to cut or shape, as a piece of wood held in the hand, with a clasp knife or pocketknife. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To edge; to sharpen; to render eager or excited; esp., to excite with liquor; to inebriate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

“In vino veritas.” When men are well whittled, their tongues run at random. Withals. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To cut or shape a piece of wood with am small knife; to cut up a piece of wood with a knife. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dexterity with a pocketknife is a part of a Nantucket education; but I am inclined to think the propensity is national. Americans must and will whittle. Willis. [ 1913 Webster ]