hack away at
phrasal verbPart ofhack
hack away at — phrasal verb
1. to cut something repeatedly with rough, heavy strokes, especially to remove it o
1.phrasal verb
Definition
to cut something repeatedly with rough, heavy strokes, especially to remove it or get through it
Example
The woodcutter hacked away at the fallen tree until it was small enough to carry.
Paloma hacked away at the ice on her car windscreen with a plastic scraper.