chip away at
phrasal verbchip away at something
- to keep breaking small pieces off something
不停地削(或凿) - He was chipping away at the stone.
他不停地凿那块石头。 - (figurative) They chipped away at the power of the government (= gradually made it weaker).
他们不断削弱政府的权力。
- He was chipping away at the stone.