to cut at a bevel

6.3

To cut the edge of wood or metal at an angle to make it slanted

phrasal verb

Specialized

: cortar en bisel

To fit the piece properly against the wall, you need to cut at a bevel.

Examples

The craftsman cut at a bevel to create a smooth, angled border on the mirror.
You should cut at a bevel for a smoother edge.
The cabinetmaker decided to cut at a bevel to enhance the appearance of the doors.
He cuts at a bevel to create decorative frames.
The cabinetmaker decided to cut at a bevel to enhance the appearance of the doors.
The craftsman cut at a bevel to create a smooth, angled border on the mirror.
To fit the piece properly against the wall, you need to cut at a bevel.

Synonyms

to bevel

vsto cut at a bevel

4 7.2

To cut an edge so it slopes away from a right angle

is the same action but focuses on angled edges for function or decoration

to chamfer

vsto cut at a bevel

Specialized

1 9.3

To cut a sloping edge on something to make it less sharp

focuses on making an angled edge for appearance or function not just removing sharpness

Surface Forms

cut at a bevel infinitive

cut at a bevel past

cut at a bevel past participle

cutting at a bevel present participle

cuts at a bevel third person singular

Morphology

cut + at + a + bevel

The meaning is directly and compositionally derivable from the parts: 'cut' (to slice) + 'bevel' (an oblique edge) with the locative 'at/a' indicating the manner or place of cutting, so a learner who knows the constituent words would infer cutting the material at an angled edge. Although 'bevel' is somewhat technical, the construction follows ordinary English patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent, so the phrase is immediately comprehensible to a learner who knows the words.

Etymology

Cut at a bevel comes from work with wood and metal: to cut the edge of a piece so it is slanted, and that slanted edge is the bevel. So cut at a bevel means 'to cut an edge at an angle so pieces fit together or look neat'.