Chisel away at
My friend wants to go on holiday to Germany but I want to travel to Norway. If I kept giving him reasons why we should go to Norway and if I tried to gradually convince him that it’s the better choice, could I use the phrase ‘chisel away at’?
“I’m chiselling away at him. I’m sure that he’ll change his mind soon.”
Is it a common expression or does it sound strange in this case?
Thank you.
Top answer
" That is, you don't "chisel away at" a person or a living thing, but rather, metaphorically, at his (hard) resolve or determination, like you would chisel away at (hard) rock or concrete.
- " That is, you don't "chisel away at" a person or a living thing, but rather, metaphorically, at his (hard) resolve or determination, like you would chisel away at (hard) rock or concrete.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
In this context, "chisel away at" would be used as follows:
"I kept chiseling away at his resolve, and he finally came around to my way of thinking." That is, you don't "chisel away at" a person or a living thing, but rather, metaphorically, at his (hard) resolve or determination, like you would chisel away at (hard) rock or concrete.
0
Related Questions