chip at vs inscribe

chip at and inscribe both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
chip at	No	No	Yes	No
inscribe	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, inscribe is a hyponym of chip at; that is, inscribe is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than chip at:

Other hyponyms of chip at include chisel, engrave, grave, scratch, engrave, etch.

chip at (verb)	inscribe (verb)
engrave or cut by chipping away at a surface	mark with one's signature
	address, (a work of literature) in a style less formal than a dedication
	write, engrave, or print as a lasting record
	convert ordinary language into code
	carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface
	draw within a figure so as to touch in as many places as possible
	register formally as a participant or member