cut (cuts plural & 3rd person present) (cutting present participle )
The form cut is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle.
1 verb If you cut something, you use a knife or a similar tool to divide it into pieces, or to mark it or damage it. If you cut a shape or a hole in something, you make the shape or hole by using a knife or similar tool.
Mrs. Haines stood nearby, holding scissors to cut a ribbon... V n
The thieves cut a hole in the fence... V n prep/adv
Mr. Long was now cutting himself a piece of the pink cake... V n n
You can hear the saw as it cuts through the bones. V through n
...thinly cut cucumber sandwiches. V-ed
Cut is also a noun., n-count
The operation involves making several cuts in the cornea.
2 verb If you cutyourself or cut a part of your body, you accidentally injure yourself on a sharp object so that you bleed.
Johnson cut himself shaving... V pron-refl
I started to cry because I cut my finger... V n
Blood from his cut lip trickled over his chin. V-ed
Cut is also a noun., n-count
He had sustained a cut on his left eyebrow., ...cuts and bruises.
3 verb If you cut something such as grass, your hair, or your fingernails, you shorten them using scissors or another tool.
The most recent tenants hadn't even cut the grass... V n
You've had your hair cut, it looks great... have n V-ed
She had dark red hair, cut short. V-ed
Cut is also a noun., n-sing
Prices vary from salon to salon, starting at £17 for a cut and blow-dry.
4 verb The way that clothes are cut is the way they are designed and made.
usu passive
...badly cut blue suits. V-ed
5 verb If you cut across or through a place, you go through it because it is the shortest route to another place.
He decided to cut across the Heath, through Greenwich Park. V across/through n
→
short cut
6 verb If you cut something, you reduce it.
(=reduce)
The first priority is to cut costs... V n
The UN force is to be cut by 90%. V n by amount
...a deal to cut 50 billion dollars from the federal deficit. V amount from/off n
Cut is also a noun., n-count with supp, oft N in n
The economy needs an immediate 2 per cent cut in interest rates., ...the government's plans for tax cuts.
7 verb If you cut a text, broadcast, or performance, you shorten it. If you cut a part of a text, broadcast, or performance, you do not publish, broadcast, or perform that part.
The audience wants more music and less drama, so we've cut some scenes. V n
Cut is also a noun., n-count
It has been found necessary to make some cuts in the text.
8 verb To cut a supply of something means to stop providing it or stop it being provided.
They used pressure tactics to force them to return, including cutting food and water supplies. V n
Cut is also a noun., n-count with supp, usu N in n
The strike had already led to cuts in electricity and water supplies in many areas.
9 verb If you cut a pack of playing cards, you divide it into two.
Place the cards face down on the table and cut them. V n
10 convention When the director of a film says `cut', they want the actors and the camera crew to stop filming.
11 verb When a singer or band cuts a CD, they make a recording of their music.
She eventually cut her own album. V n
12 verb When a child cuts a tooth, a new tooth starts to grow through the gum.
Many infants do not cut their first tooth until they are a year old. V n
13 verb If a child cuts classes or cuts school, they do not go to classes or to school when they are supposed to.
(mainly AM)
(=skip)
Cutting school more than once in three months is a sign of trouble. V n
14 verb If you tell someone to cut something, you are telling them in an irritated way to stop it.
(mainly AM)
INFORMAL, feelings Why don't you just cut the crap and open the door. V n
15 n-count A cut of meat is a piece or type of meat which is cut in a particular way from the animal, or from a particular part of it.
with supp
Use a cheap cut such as spare rib chops.
16 n-sing Someone's cut of the profits or winnings from something, especially ones that have been obtained dishonestly, is their share.
INFORMAL oft poss N
(=share)
The lawyers, of course, take their cut of the little guy's winnings.
17 n-count A cut is a narrow valley which has been cut through a hill so that a road or railroad track can pass through.
(AM)
in BRIT, use cutting
19 If you say that someone or something is a cut above other people or things of the same kind, you mean they are better than them.
INFORMAL
a cut above phrase v-link PHR n
Joan Smith's detective stories are a cut above the rest.
20 If you say that a situation or solution is cut and dried, you mean that it is clear and definite.
cut and dried phrase v-link PHR, PHR n
(=clear-cut)
Unfortunately, things cannot be as cut and dried as many people would like..., We are aiming for guidelines, not cut-and-dried answers.
21 If you say that someone can't cut it, you mean that they do not have the qualities needed to do a task or cope with a situation.
INFORMAL
cut it phrase usu with broad neg
He doesn't think English-born players can cut it abroad.
22 If you talk about thecut and thrustof an activity, you are talking about the aspects of it that make it exciting and challenging.
cut and thrust phrase
...cut-and-thrust debate between two declared adversaries.
23 If you say that something cuts both ways, you mean that it can have two opposite effects, or can have both good and bad effects.
to cut both ways phrase V inflects
This publicity cuts both ways. It focuses on us as well as on them.
24
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to cut something to the bone
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bone
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to cut corners
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corner
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to cut the mustard
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mustard
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to cut someone to the quick
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quick
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to cut a long story short
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story
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to cut your teeth on something
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tooth cut across phrasal verb If an issue or problem cuts across the division between two or more groups of people, it affects or matters to people in all the groups.
The problem cuts across all socioeconomic lines and affects all age groups... V P n cut back phrasal verb If you cut back something such as expenditure or cut backon it, you reduce it.
They will be concerned to cut back expenditure on unnecessary items... V P n (not pron)
The Government has cut back on defence spending... V P on n
We have been cutting back a bit: we did have thirteen horses, but now it's nine. V P, Also V n P
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cutback cut down
1 phrasal verb If you cut downon something or cut down something, you use or do less of it.
He cut down on coffee and cigarettes, and ate a balanced diet... V P on n
Car owners were asked to cut down travel... V P n (not pron)
If you spend more than your income, can you try to cut down? V P, Also V n P
2 phrasal verb If you cut down a tree, you cut through its trunk so that it falls to the ground.
(=chop down)
A vandal with a chainsaw cut down a tree. V P n (not pron), Also V n P cut in phrasal verb If you cut inon someone, you interrupt them when they are speaking.
(=break in)
Immediately, Daniel cut in on Joanne's attempts at reassurance... V P on n
`Not true,' the Duchess cut in. V P with quote, Also V P cut off
1 phrasal verb If you cut something off, you remove it with a knife or a similar tool.
Mrs Kreutz cut off a generous piece of the meat... V P n (not pron)
He cut me off a slice... V n P n (not pron)
He threatened to cut my hair off. V n P
2 phrasal verb To cut someone or something off means to separate them from things that they are normally connected with.
(=isolate)
One of the goals of the campaign is to cut off the elite Republican Guard from its supplies... V P n (not pron) from n
The storm has cut us off. V n P
cut off adj
Without a car we still felt very cut off.
3 phrasal verb To cut off a supply of something means to stop providing it or stop it being provided.
The rebels have cut off electricity from the capital... V P n (not pron)
Why cut the money off? V n P
4 phrasal verb If you get cut off when you are on the telephone, the line is suddenly disconnected and you can no longer speak to the other person.
(=disconnect)
When you do get through, you've got to say your piece quickly before you get cut off... get/be V-ed P
I'm going to cut you off now because we've got lots of callers waiting. V n P
5 phrasal verb If you cut someone off when they are speaking, you interrupt them and stop them from speaking.
`But, sir, I'm under orders to<endash>' Clark cut him off. `Don't argue with me.' V n P, Also V P n (not pron)
6
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cut-off
→
to cut off your nose to spite your face
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spite cut out
1 phrasal verb If you cut something out, you remove or separate it from what surrounds it using scissors or a knife.
Cut out the coupon and send those cheques off today... V P n (not pron)
I cut it out and pinned it to my studio wall. V n P
2 phrasal verb If you cut out a part of a text, you do not print, publish, or broadcast that part, because to include it would make the text too long or unacceptable.
(=cut, omit)
I listened to the programme and found they'd cut out all the interesting stuff... V P n (not pron)
Her editors wanted her to cut out the poetry from her novel... V P n (not pron) from/of n
3 phrasal verb To cut out something unnecessary or unwanted means to remove it completely from a situation. For example, if you cut out a particular type of food, you stop eating it, usually because it is bad for you.
(=eliminate)
I've simply cut egg yolks out entirely... V n P
A guilty plea cuts out the need for a long trial. V P n (not pron)
4 phrasal verb If you tell someone to cut something out, you are telling them in an irritated way to stop it.
INFORMAL, feelings
(=stop)
Do yourself a favour, and cut that behaviour out... V n P
`Cut it out, Chip,' I said... V it P
He had better cut out the nonsense. V P n (not pron)
5 phrasal verb If you cut someone outof an activity, you do not allow them to be involved in it. If you cut someone outof a will, you do not allow them to share in it.
(=exclude) (Antonym: include)
Environmentalists say this would cut them out of the debate over what to do with public lands... V n P of n
`Cut her out of your will,' urged his nephew... V n P of n
He felt that he was being cut out. be V-ed P, Also V P n (not pron)
6 phrasal verb If an object cuts out the light, it is between you and the light so that you are in the dark.
The curtains were half drawn to cut out the sunlight. V P n (not pron)
7 phrasal verb If an engine cuts out, it suddenly stops working.
The helicopter crash landed when one of its two engines cut out. V P
8
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cut out
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cut-out
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to have your work cut out
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work cut up
1 phrasal verb If you cut something up, you cut it into several pieces.
He sits in his apartment cutting up magazines... V P n (not pron)
Halve the tomatoes, then cut them up coarsely. V n P
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cut up
2 phrasal verb If one driver cuts another driver up, the first driver goes too close in front of the second one, for example after passing them. They were crossing from lane to lane, cutting everyone up. V n P
clean-cut
Someone, especially a boy or man, who is clean-cut has a neat, tidy appearance. adj
...his clean-cut good looks.
clear-cut
Something that is clear-cut is easy to recognize and quite distinct. adj
This was a clear-cut case of the original land owner being in the right..., The issue is not so clear cut.
crew cut (crew cuts plural ), crewcut A crew cut is a man's hairstyle in which his hair is cut very short. n-count
cut and dried
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cut
cut glass , cut-glass
Cut glass is glass that has patterns cut into its surface. n-uncount oft N n
...a cut-glass bowl.
cut-off (cut-offs plural ), cutoff
1 n-count A cut-off or a cut-off point is the level or limit at which you decide that something should stop happening.
usu sing, oft N n
The cut-off date for registering is yet to be announced..., On young girls it can look really great, but there is a definite age cut-off on this.
2 n-count The cut-offof a supply or service is the complete stopping of the supply or service.
usu sing
A total cut-off of supplies would cripple the country's economy...
cut out
If you are not cut outfor a particular type of work, you do not have the qualities that are needed to be able to do it well. adj usu with brd-neg, v-link ADJ, ADJ for n, ADJ to-inf
I left medicine anyway. I wasn't really cut out for it...
cut-out (cut-outs plural )
1 n-count A cardboard cut-out is a shape that has been cut from thick card.
You'd swear he was a cardboard cut-out except that he'd moved his rifle...
2 n-count A cut-out is a device that turns off a machine automatically in particular circumstances.
oft N n
Use a kettle with an automatic cut-out so it doesn't boil for longer than necessary...
cut-price
Cut-price goods or services are cheaper than usual.
(BRIT) adj ADJ n
...a shop selling cut-price videos and CDs in Oxford Street., ...cut-price tickets.
in AM, use cut-rate
cut-rate
Cut-rate goods or services are cheaper than usual. adj ADJ n
(=cut-price)
...cut-rate auto insurance.
cut-throat
If you describe a situation as cut-throat, you mean that the people or companies involved all want success and do not care if they harm each other in getting it. adj usu ADJ n (disapproval)
(=ruthless)
...the cut-throat competition in personal computers.
cut up
If you are cut upabout something that has happened, you are very unhappy because of it.
(mainly BRIT)
INFORMAL adj v-link ADJ
Terry was very cut up about Jim's death.
low-cut
Low-cut dresses and blouses do not cover the top part of a woman's chest. adj usu ADJ n
power cut (power cuts plural )A power cut is a period of time when the electricity supply to a particular building or area is stopped, sometimes deliberately.
(mainly BRIT) n-count
in AM, use outage
short cut (short cuts plural ), short-cut, shortcut
1 n-count A short cut is a quicker way of getting somewhere than the usual route.
I tried to take a short cut and got lost.
2 n-count A short cut is a method of achieving something more quickly or more easily than if you use the usual methods.
oft N to n
Fame can be a shortcut to love and money...
3 n-count On a computer, a shortcut is an icon on the desktop that allows you to go immediately to a program, document and so on. (COMPUTING)
...ways to move or copy icons or create shortcuts in Windows.
4 n-count On a computer, a shortcut is a keystroke or a combination of keystrokes that allows you to give commands without using the mouse. (COMPUTING)
...a handy keyboard shortcut that takes you to the top of the screen.
