Definition

1. Noun:
   • A stonemason's chisel with a broad edge for dressing stone: A specialized hand tool used in masonry and stonework. It has a wide, flat cutting edge designed for shaping, smoothing, or texturing the surface of stone, rather than for deep cutting or splitting.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The mason used a drove chisel to create a rough, textured finish on the granite block.
  • For the initial smoothing of the limestone, a wide drove chisel is more effective than a point chisel.

Advanced Usage

• "To work with a drove chisel": To use this specific tool in the process of dressing stone.
  • The artisan skillfully worked with a drove chisel to achieve the desired surface pattern.

Variants and Related Words

• Drove (n): In this context, refers to the act of driving or shaping stone with a chisel. The tool is named for this action.
• Stone chisel (n): A general term for any chisel used on stone.
• Pitching chisel / Point chisel (n): A chisel with a pointed tip, used for splitting stone, in contrast to the broad-edged drove chisel used for surfacing.

Synonyms

• Broad chisel: A descriptive synonym emphasizing the tool's wide blade.
• Mason's drove: A less common variant of the term.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "drove" in "drove chisel" is specific to the tool's function and should not be confused with the more common verb "to drive" or the noun "drove" meaning a large group of animals. This is a technical term from stonemasonry.

Noun

1. a stonemason's chisel with a broad edge for dressing stone