cut

Syllabification: (cut)

Pronunciation: /kət/

Translate cut | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of cut

verb (cuts, cutting; past and past participle cut)

[with object]

1make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp-edged tool or object:he cut his big toe on a sharp stone he cut open MacKay’s face with the end of his hockey stick [no object]: figurativehis scorn cut deeper than knives
[no object] make an incision in one’s own flesh, as a symptom of emotional distress:she’s been cutting every day after school for months [with object]:they cut themselves in a sad attempt to release the pain

2remove (something) from something larger by using a sharp implement:I cut his photograph out of the paper some prisoners had their right hands cut off
informal castrate (an animal, especially a horse).
remove the foreskin of a penis; circumcise.
(cut something out) make something by cutting:I cut out some squares of paper
(cut something out) remove, exclude, or stop eating or doing something undesirable:start today by cutting out fatty foods
(cut something out) North American separate an animal from the main herd.

3divide into pieces with a knife or other sharp implement:cut the beef into thin slices he cut his food up into teeny pieces
make divisions in (something):land that has been cut up by streams into forested areas
separate (something) into two; sever:they cut the rope before he choked
(cut something down) make something, especially a tree, fall by cutting it through at the base.
(cut someone down) (of a weapon, bullet, or disease) kill or injure someone:Barker had been cut down by a sniper’s bullet

4make or form (something) by using a sharp tool to remove material:workmen cut a hole in the pipe
make or design (a garment) in a particular way: (as adjective cut)an impeccably cut chalk-stripe suit
make (a path, tunnel, or other route) by excavation, digging, or chopping:plans to cut a road through a rain forest [no object]:investigators called for a machete to cut through the bush figurativea large woman with a voice that cut through crowds

5trim or reduce the length of (something, especially grass or a person’s hair or fingernails) by using a sharp implement:cutting the lawn cut back all the year’s growth to about four leaves

6reduce the amount or quantity of:buyers will bargain hard to cut the cost of the house they want I should cut down my sugar intake [no object]:they’ve cut back on costs the state passed a law to cut down on drunk-driving the paper glut cuts into profits
abridge (a text, movie, or performance) by removing material:he had to cut unnecessary additions made to the opening scene
Computing delete (part of a text or other display) completely or so as to insert a copy of it elsewhere. See also cut and paste.
(in sports) remove (a player) from a team’s roster.
end or interrupt the provision of (something, especially power or food supplies):we resolved to cut oil supplies to territories controlled by the rebels if the pump develops a fault, the electrical supply is immediately cut off
(cut something off) block the usual means of access to a place:the caves were cut off from the outside world by a landslide
North American absent oneself deliberately from (something one should normally attend, especially school):Robert was cutting class
switch off (an engine or a light).

7(of a line) cross or intersect (another line):the point where the line cuts the vertical axis
[no object] (cut across) pass or traverse, especially so as to shorten one’s route:the following aircraft cut across to join him
[no object] (cut across) have an effect regardless of (divisions or boundaries between groups):subcultures that cut across national and political boundaries
[no object] (cut along) informal dated leave or move hurriedly:you can cut along now

8 dated ignore or refuse to recognize (someone).

9 [no object, often in imperative] stop filming or recording.
move to another shot in a movie:cut to a dentist’s surgery
[with object] make (a movie) into a coherent whole by removing parts or placing them in a different order.

10make (a sound recording).

11divide (a pack of playing cards) by lifting a portion from the top, either to reveal or draw a card at random or to place the top portion under the bottom portion.

12 Golf slice (the ball).

13adulterate (a drug) or dilute (alcohol) by mixing it with another substance:speed cut with rat poison

14 (cut it) North American informal come up to expectations; meet requirements:this CD player doesn’t quite cut it
[shortened form of the idiom cut the mustard]

noun

1an act of cutting, in particular.
[in singular] a haircut:his hair was in need of a cut
a stroke or blow given by a sharp-edged implement or by a whip or cane:he could skin an animal with a single cut of the knife
a wounding remark or act:his unkindest cut at Elizabeth was to call her heartless
a reduction in amount or size:she took a 20% pay cut a cut in interest rates
(in sports) a removal of a player from a team’s roster.
an act of removing part of a play, movie, or book, especially to shorten the work or to delete offensive material:they would not publish the book unless the author was willing to make cuts
an immediate transition from one scene to another in a movie.
Golf the halfway point of a golf tournament, where half of the players are eliminated.
Tennis a stroke made with a sharp horizontal or downward action of the racket, imparting spin.

2a result of cutting something, in particular.
a long narrow incision in the skin made by something sharp.
a long narrow opening or incision made in a surface or piece of material:make a single cut along the top of each potato
a piece of meat cut from a carcass:a good lean cut of beef
[in singular] informal a share of the profits from something:the directors are demanding their cut
a recording of a piece of music:a cut from his forthcoming album
a version of a movie after editing:the director’s cut
a passage cut or dug out, as a railroad cutting or a new channel made for a river or other waterway.
a woodcut.

3 [in singular] the way or style in which something, especially a garment or someone’s hair, is cut:the elegant cut of his dinner jacket

Phrases

be cut out for (or to be): [usually with negative] informal have exactly the right qualities for a particular role, task, or job:I’m just not cut out to be a policeman
a cut above: informal noticeably superior to:she’s a cut above the rest
cut and dried: [often with negative] (of a situation) completely settled or decided:the championship is not as cut and dried as everyone thinks
[ early 18th century: originally used to distinguish the herbs of herbalists' shops from growing herbs]
cut and run: informal make a speedy or sudden departure from an awkward or hazardous situation rather than deal with it.
[originally a nautical phrase, meaning 'cut the anchor cable because of some emergency and make sail immediately']
cut and thrust: Fencing the use of both the edge and the point of one’s sword while fighting.; a spirited and rapid interchange of views:the cut and thrust of political debate; a situation or sphere of activity regarded as carried out under adversarial conditions:the ruthless cut and thrust of the business world
cut both ways: (of a point or statement) serve both sides of an argument.; (of an action or process) have both good and bad effects:the triumphs of civilization cut both ways
cut the corner: take the shortest course by going across and not around a corner.
cut corners: undertake something in what appears to be the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, especially by omitting to do something important or ignoring rules.
cut the crap: [often in imperative] vulgar slang get to the point; state the real situation.
cut someone dead: completely ignore someone.
cut a deal: North American informal come to an arrangement, especially in business; make a deal.
cut someone down to size: informal deflate someone’s exaggerated sense of self-worth.
cut something down to size: reduce the size or power of something, for example an organization, that is regarded as having become too large or powerful.
cut a —— figure: present oneself or appear in a particular way:David has cut a dashing figure on the international social scene
cut from the same cloth: of the same nature; similar:don’t assume all women are cut from the same cloth
cut in line: North American push into a line of people in order to be served or dealt with before one’s turn.
cut it fine: see fine¹.
cut it out: [usually in imperative] informal used to ask someone to stop doing or saying something that is annoying or offensive:I’m sick of that joke; cut it out, can’t you?
cut loose: distance oneself from a person, group, or system by which one is unduly influenced or on which one is overdependent:they cut loose from from the factory and started their own; act without restraint:consumers want to cut loose and have secret bacchanals
cut someone/something loose (or free): free someone or something from something that holds or restricts them:he’d cut loose the horses
cut one's losses: abandon an enterprise or course of action that is clearly going to be unprofitable or unsuccessful before one suffers too much loss or harm.
cut the mustard: informal come up to expectations; reach the required standard:I didn’t cut the mustard as a hockey player
cut no ice: informal have no influence or effect:your holier-than-thou attitude cuts no ice with me
cut someone off (or down) in their prime: bring someone’s life or career to an abrupt end while they are at the peak of their abilities.
cut someone/something short: interrupt someone or something; bring an abrupt or premature end to something said or done:Peter cut him short rudely
cut someone to pieces: kill or severely injure someone.; totally defeat someone.
cut a (or the) rug: North American informal dance, typically in an energetic or accomplished way:you can cut a rug when dance bands and singers take to the stage
cut one's teeth: acquire initial practice or experience of a particular sphere of activity or with a particular organization:the brothers cut their professional teeth at Lusardi’s before starting their own restaurant
cut a tooth: (usually of a baby or child) have a tooth appear through the gum.
cut to the chase: North American informal come to the point:cut to the chase—what is it you want us to do?
[cut in the sense 'move to another part of the movie', expressing the notion of ignoring any preliminaries]
cut your coat according to your cloth: proverb undertake only what you have the money or ability to do and no more.
have one's work cut out: see work.
make the cut: Golf equal or better a required score, thus avoiding elimination from the last two rounds of a four-round tournament.
miss the cut: Golf fail to equal or better a required score, thus being eliminated from the last two rounds of a four-round tournament.

Phrasal Verbs

cut in
cut someone in: informal include someone in a deal and give them a share of the profits.
cut into: interrupt the course of:Victoria’s words cut into her thoughts
cut someone off: interrupt someone while they are speaking.; interrupt someone during a telephone call by breaking the connection:I listened to prerecorded messages for twenty-three minutes before being cut off; prevent someone from receiving or being provided with something, especially power or water:consumers were cut off for nonpayment; reject someone as one’s heir; disinherit someone:Gabrielle’s family cut her off without a penny; prevent someone from having access to somewhere or someone; isolate someone from something they previously had connections with:we were cut off from reality; informal (of a driver) overtake someone and pull in too closely in front of them.
cut out
cut someone out: exclude someone:his mother cut him out of her will
cut up
cut someone up: North American informal criticize someone severely:my kids cut him up about his appetite all the time

Origin:

Middle English (probably existing, although not recorded, in Old English); probably of Germanic origin and related to Norwegian kutte and Icelandic kuta 'cut with a small knife', kuti 'small blunt knife'

cut in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cut in the British & World English dictionary

Subscriber login

Library card login

Other

verb (cuts, cutting; past and past participle cut)

noun

Phrases

be cut out for (or to be)

a cut above

cut and dried

cut and run

cut and thrust

cut both ways

cut the corner

cut corners

cut the crap

cut someone dead

cut a deal

cut someone down to size

cut something down to size

cut a —— figure

cut from the same cloth

cut in line

cut it fine

cut it out

cut loose

cut someone/something loose (or free)

cut one's losses

cut the mustard

cut no ice

cut someone off (or down) in their prime

cut someone/something short

cut someone to pieces

cut a (or the) rug

cut one's teeth

cut a tooth

cut to the chase

cut your coat according to your cloth

have one's work cut out

make the cut

miss the cut

Phrasal Verbs

cut in

cut someone in

cut into

cut someone off

cut out

cut someone out

cut up

cut someone up

Origin:

cut in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

More results for cut

Shop for an Oxford dictionary

Word of the day

cur