engraving

n. art of carving out letters or designs on hard surfaces

v. carve out letters or designs on hard surfaces; impress deeply

Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold or steel are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing images on paper, which are called engravings. Engraving was a historically important method of producing images on paper, both in artistic printmaking, and also for commercial reproductions and illustrations for books and magazines. It has long been replaced by photography in its commercial applications and, partly because of the difficulty of learning the technique, is much less common in printmaking, where it has been largely replaced by etching and other techniques. Other terms often used for engravings are copper-plate engraving and Line engraving. These should all mean exactly the same, but especially in the past were often used very loosely to cover several printmaking techniques, so that many so-called engravings were in fact produced by totally different techniques, such as etching.
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(p. pr. & vb. n.)
of Engrave
  

(n.)
The act or art of producing upon hard material incised or raised patterns, characters, lines, and the like; especially, the art of producing such lines, etc., in the surface of metal plates or blocks of wood. Engraving is used for the decoration of the surface itself; also, for producing an original, from which a pattern or design may be printed on paper.
  

(n.)
That which is engraved; an engraved plate.
  

(n.)
An impression from an engraved plate, block of wood, or other material; a print.
  

A technique of decoration common on silver and gold ware during the 14th and 15th century, used only rarely on armour during these periods. It was used with great effect alongside of etching , a faster but cruder technique, during the 16th century. The most famous 14th century example is from on the brass trim on Churburg #13 ,held in the Churburg castle, where phrases from the old testament are engraved into the border pieces. A very striking effect that has been very popular amongst modern re-enactors, although generally etching has been used for speed and efficiency.

Noun
1. a print made from an engraving
(hypernym) print
(hyponym) dry point
2. a block or plate that has been engraved
(hypernym) plate
(hyponym) copperplate
3. making engraved or etched plates and printing designs from them
(synonym) etching
(hypernym) printmaking
(hyponym) steel engraving
(derivation) engrave

Verb
1. carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface; "engrave a pen"; "engraved the winner's name onto the trophy cup"
(synonym) grave, inscribe
(hypernym) carve, chip at
(hyponym) character
(derivation) engraver
2. impress or affect deeply; "The event engraved itself into her memory"
(hypernym) affect, impress, move, strike
3. carve, cut, or etch into a block used for printing or print from such a block; "engrave a letter"
(hypernym) print
(hyponym) benday
(derivation) gravure
(classification) art, artistic creation, artistic production
4. carve, cut, or etch a design or letters into; "engrave the pen with the owner's name"
(hypernym) carve, chip at
(verb-group) grave, inscribe