notch — a V-shaped cut or indentation

a skilled carpenter carefully uses a sharp chisel to cut into a thick wooden beam on his workbench. He positions the chisel at an angle and taps it with a wooden mallet to create the first side of a triangular cut. The wood chips fly away as he makes the second angled cut to complete the V-shaped indentation. His apprentice watches closely while holding additional tools and wooden pieces. Other carpenters work at nearby benches, creating similar cuts in their own projects. a V-shaped cut or indentation being carved into the wood