whittle away

I've time enough to whittle away at this before mother comes back.

Then you would whittle away all the stock till only the lock mechanism remained; and this was practically what the Derringer was.

"Oh, this will do," answered the school-master, picking up a pine stick and beginning to whittle away vigorously.

A yankee shewn into a room to await the arrival of another, has been known to whittle away nearly the whole of the mantle-piece.

Lawyers in court whittle away at the table before them; and judges will cut through their own bench.