Search results for 'cut':

cut verb (cut, cutting) 1 tr & intr (also cut something off or out) to slit, pierce, slice or sever (a person or thing) using a sharp instrument. 2 (often cut something up) to divide something by cutting. 3 to trim (hair, nails, etc). 4 to reap or mow (corn, grass, etc). 5 to prune (flowers or plants). 6 (sometimes cut something out) to make or form it by cutting. 7 to shape the surface of (a gem) into facets, or decorate (glass) by cutting. 8 to shape the pieces of (a garment) • He cuts clothes so that they hang perfectly. 9 to make (a sound recording). 10 to injure or wound with a sharp edge or instrument. 11 to hurt • cut someone to the heart. 12 to reduce (eg prices, wages, interest rates, working hours, etc). 13 to shorten or abridge (eg a book or play). 14 to delete or omit. 15 to edit (a film). 16 intrans to stop filming. 17 intrans, cinema said of a film or camera: to change directly to another shot, etc. 18 math to cross or intersect. 19 to reject or renounce • cut one's links with one's family. 20 informal to ignore or pretend not to recognize someone. 21 to stop • The alcoholic was told to cut his drinking or risk serious liver damage. 22 informal to absent oneself from something • cut classes. 23 to switch off (an engine, etc). 24 cricket to hit (a ball) with a slicing action, causing it to spin or swerve. 25 said of a baby: to grow (teeth). 26 intrans (usually cut across or through) to go off in a certain direction; to take a short route. 27 to dilute (eg an alcoholic drink) or adulterate (a drug) • John cuts his whisky with ginger ale. 28 to divide; to partition • a room cut in half by a bookcase. noun 1 an act of cutting; a cutting movement or stroke. 2 a slit, incision or injury made by cutting. 3 a reduction. 4 a deleted passage in a play, etc. 5 the stoppage of an electricity supply, etc. 6 slang one's share of the profits. 7 a piece of meat cut from an animal. 8 the style in which clothes or hair are cut. 9 a sarcastic remark. 10 a refusal to recognize someone; a snub. 11 a short cut. 12 a channel, passage or canal. a cut above something colloq superior to it. cut and dried decided; definite; settled beforehand. cut and run colloq to escape smartly. cut and thrust aggressive competition; quick verbal exchange or repartee. cut both ways to have advantages and disadvantages; to bear out both sides of an argument. cut someone dead to ignore them completely. cut it fine colloq to have or leave barely enough time, space, etc for something. cut it out slang to stop doing something bad or undesirable. cut out for or to be something having the qualities needed for it. cut something short to reduce or shorten it. cut someone short to silence them by interrupting. cut up colloq distressed; upset. cut up rough colloq to get angry and violent. cut a long story short to come straight to the point. half cut Brit slang drunk.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c as cutten.