Definition

1. Noun:
   • The art or process of cutting designs into a hard surface: "engraving" refers to the technique of incising a design onto a hard, flat material, such as metal, wood, or glass, often for the purpose of printing.
   • A print produced from an engraved plate: "engraving" also denotes the image or picture printed from such an engraved surface.
   • The engraved plate or block itself: "engraving" can refer to the physical object—the plate, block, or other surface—that has been carved.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The museum displayed the tools used in the engraving of copper plates. (The museum showed the instruments for cutting designs into copper.)
  • She bought a beautiful engraving of the old city. (She purchased a print made from a carved plate showing the old city.)
  • The engraving was damaged, so it could no longer be used for printing. (The carved plate itself was harmed.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be an engraving of": to be a print depicting a specific subject.
  • This is an engraving of a famous battle. (This printed image depicts a famous battle.)
• Used in formal or artistic contexts to describe the craft or its products.
  • His work in engraving revolutionized printmaking. (His artistic work in the cutting technique changed printmaking.)

Variants and Related Words

• Engrave (verb): to cut or carve a design or inscription into a hard surface.
  • The artist will engrave the winner's name on the trophy.
• Engraver (noun): a person who practices the art of engraving.
  • The engraver used a fine burin to create the lines.

Synonyms

• Etching: (specifically for a similar printmaking technique using acid) an image produced from an etched plate.
• Print: a general term for a picture or design produced from a block or plate.
• Incision: the act or result of cutting into a surface.

Related Phrases

• Line engraving: a type of engraving where the design is composed solely of lines cut into the metal.
  • The detail in this line engraving is exquisite.
• Wood engraving: the art of engraving designs on the end grain of a block of wood.
  • He specialized in wood engraving for book illustrations.

Related Idioms

• (As) sharp as an engraving: (less common) used to describe something with very clear, precise details.
  • Her memory of the event was as sharp as an engraving. (Her memory was very clear and detailed.)

Noun

1. making engraved or etched plates and printing designs from them
2. a block or plate or other hard surface that has been engraved
3. a print made from an engraving