The incising of lines in a metal or other surface by means of a graver or burin. In the textile trade this term is still used even when the pattern rollers are produced by etching or by pressure from the raised surface of a mill in an ‘engraving machine’.

The process of creating a design on a hard surface by cutting groves into it is called engraving. This is done to decorate the surface of materials like silver, gold, steel, lacquer and glass. Engraving is also done on flat metal surfaces to create printing plates that are used to print images on paper.