verb

• (transitive or intransitive) To cut or shape wood with a knife.
  "He was sitting on a bench before the fire, with his feet on the stove hearth, and in one hand was holding close up to his face that little negro idol of his; peering hard into its face, and with a jack-knife gently whittling away at its nose, meanwhile humming to himself in his heathenish way."
• (transitive) To reduce or gradually eliminate something (such as a debt).
• (transitive, figurative) To make eager or excited; to excite with liquor; to inebriate.
  "When men are well whitled, their toungs run at randome"

noun

• (archaic) A coarse greyish double blanket worn by countrywomen, in the west of England, over the shoulders, like a cloak or shawl.
  "Her figure is tall , graceful , and slight ; the severity of its outlines suiting well with the severity of her dress , with the brown stuff gown , and plain gray whittle"
• (archaic) A whittle shawl; a kind of fine woollen shawl, originally and especially a white one.