cut : Idioms & Phrases

• (Railroad), a reduction in fare, freight charges, etc., below the established rates.

Webster 1913

• a cross route which shortens the way and cuts off a circuitous passage.

Webster 1913

• one that is regulated by the governor, and varies the supply of steam to the engine with the demand for power.

Webster 1913

• noun a short haircut with hairs standing up like a brush
  

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• noun the act of reducing budgeted expenditures
  

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• adjective satellite neat and smart in appearance
  trim; trig.
  
  • a clean-cut and well-bred young man
  • the trig corporal in his jaunty cap
  • a trim beard
• adjective satellite clear and distinct to the senses; easily perceptible
  clear; clean-cut.
  
  • as clear as a whistle
  • clear footprints in the snow
  • the letter brought back a clear image of his grandfather
  • a spire clean-cut against the sky
  • a clear-cut pattern

WordNet

Clean"-cut` adjective

Definitions

1. See Clear-cut.

Webster 1913

• verb remove all the trees at one time
  
  • clear-cut an acre of forest
• adjective satellite clearly or sharply defined to the mind
  distinct; trenchant.
  
  • clear-cut evidence of tampering
  • Claudius was the first to invade Britain with distinct...intentions of conquest
  • trenchant distinctions between right and wrong
• adjective satellite having had all the trees removed at one time
  
  • clear-cut hillsides are subject to erosion
• adjective satellite clear and distinct to the senses; easily perceptible
  clear; clean-cut.
  
  • as clear as a whistle
  • clear footprints in the snow
  • the letter brought back a clear image of his grandfather
  • a spire clean-cut against the sky
  • a clear-cut pattern

WordNet

Clear"-cut` adjective

Definitions

1. Having a sharp, distinct outline, like that of a cameo.

   She has . . . a cold and clear-cut face. Tennyson.

2. Concisely and distinctly expressed.

Webster 1913

• noun sliced assorted cold meats
  

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• noun the act of cutting costs
  

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• noun a closely cropped haircut; usually for men
  flattop.
  

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• a file having two sets of teeth crossing obliquely.

Webster 1913

• verb travel across or pass over
  traverse; track; pass over; get across; cover; cross; get over; cut across.
  
  • The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day
• verb be contrary to ordinary procedure or limitations
  
  • Opinions on bombing the Serbs cut across party lines
• verb cut using a diagonal line
  crosscut.
  

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• prepered beforehand; not spontaneous.

Webster 1913

• verb move quickly to another scene or focus when filming
  
  • `cut away now!' the director shouted
• verb remove by cutting off or away
  
  • cut away the branch that sticks out

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• verb return in time
  flash back.
  
  • the film cut back to an earlier event in the story
• verb cut down on; make a reduction in
  trim; cut; cut back; bring down; reduce; trim down; trim back.
  
  • reduce your daily fat intake
  • The employer wants to cut back health benefits
• verb cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
  trim; prune; clip; crop; snip; lop; dress.
  
  • dress the plants in the garden
• verb place restrictions on
  restrict; curtail; curb.
  
  • curtail drinking in school

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• verb do something the cheapest or easiest way
  
  • Cut corners to make a cheaper product

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• verb cut down on; make a reduction in
  trim; cut; cut back; bring down; reduce; trim down; trim back.
  
  • reduce your daily fat intake
  • The employer wants to cut back health benefits
• verb cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete
  slash.
  
• verb cause to come or go down
  down; knock down; push down; pull down.
  
  • The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect
  • The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet
• verb intercept (a player)
  cut down.
  
• verb cut with a blade or mower
  mow.
  
  • mow the grass
• verb cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
  drop; fell; strike down.
  
  • strike down a tree
  • Lightning struck down the hikers

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• noun glass decorated by cutting or grinding facets
  

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• glass having a surface ground and polished in facets or figures.

Webster 1913

• verb allow someone to have a share or profit
  
• verb drive in front of another vehicle leaving too little space for that vehicle to maneuver comfortably
  
• verb break into a conversation
  put in; barge in; butt in; chisel in; break in; chime in.
  
  • her husband always chimes in, even when he is not involved in the conversation
• verb interrupt a dancing couple in order to take one of them as one's own partner
  
  • Jim always cuts in!
• verb mix in with cutting motions
  

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• verb turn up, loosen, or remove earth
  delve; dig; turn over.
  
  • Dig we must
  • turn over the soil for aeration

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• a nail cut by machinery from a rolled plate of iron, in distinction from a wrought nail.

Webster 1913

• noun cut of meat from beef cattle
  

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• noun cut of meat from a lamb
  

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• noun a piece of meat that has been cut from an animal carcass
  cut.
  

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• noun cut of meat from a mature sheep
  

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• noun cut of meat from a hog or pig
  

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• noun cut of meat from a calf
  

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• verb make a break in
  interrupt; disrupt; break up.
  
  • We interrupt the program for the following messages
• verb cease, stop
  cut.
  
  • cut the noise
  • We had to cut short the conversation
• verb remove by or as if by cutting
  chop off; lop off.
  
  • cut off the ear
  • lop off the dead branch
• verb cut off and stop
  cut off.
  
  • The bicyclist was cut out by the van
• verb break a small piece off from
  knap; chip; break off.
  
  • chip the glass
  • chip a tooth
• verb remove surgically
  amputate.
  
  • amputate limbs
• adjective satellite detached by cutting
  severed.
  
  • cut flowers
  • a severed head
  • an old tale of Anne Bolyn walking the castle walls with her poor cut-off head under her arm

WordNet

• verb delete or remove
  
  • Cut out the extra text
  • cut out the newspaper article
• verb form and create by cutting out
  
  • Picasso cut out a guitar from a piece of paper
• verb cut off and stop
  cut off.
  
  • The bicyclist was cut out by the van
• verb strike or cancel by or as if by rubbing or crossing out
  scratch out.
  
  • scratch out my name on that list
• verb intercept (a player)
  cut down.
  
• verb cease operating
  
  • The pump suddenly cut out
• adjective satellite having been cut out
  
  • the cut-out pieces of the dress

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• noun a price below the standard price
  cut price; cheapness; bargain rate.
  

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• noun a price below the standard price
  cut price; cheapness; bargain rate.
  

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• verb interrupt before its natural or planned end
  break off; break short.
  
  • We had to cut short our vacation
• verb cause to end earlier than intended
  
  • The spontaneous applause cut the singer short
• verb make shorter as if by cutting off
  truncate.
  
  • truncate a word
  • Erosion has truncated the ridges of the mountains
• verb terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent
  curtail; clip.
  
  • My speech was cut short
  • Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries

WordNet

• stone hewn or chiseled to shape after having been split from the quarry.

Webster 1913

• verb travel across or pass over
  traverse; track; pass over; get across; cover; cross; get over; cut across.
  
  • The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day

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• verb move to another scene when filming
  
  • The camera cut to the sky

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• verb defeat totally
  
  • We must cut the other team to ribbons!

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• verb cut to pieces
  carve.
  
  • Father carved the ham
• verb destroy or injure severely
  mutilate; mangle.
  
  • The madman mutilates art work
• verb separate into isolated compartments or categories
  compartmentalise; compartmentalize.
  
  • You cannot compartmentalize your life like this!
• verb significantly cut up a manuscript
  hack.
  
• adjective satellite cut into pieces
  

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• adjective satellite according to ordinary expectations
  cut-and-dried.
  

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• adjective satellite according to ordinary expectations
  cut-and-dried.
  

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• noun fighting with knives
  snickersnee; knife fight.
  

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• noun (broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program
  insert.
  
• noun (film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film
  insert.
  

WordNet

Cut"-off` noun

Definitions

1. That which cuts off or shortens, as a nearer passage or road.
2. (Mach.) (a) The valve gearing or mechanism by which steam is cut off from entering the cylinder of a steam engine after a definite point in a stroke, so as to allow the remainder of the stroke to be made by the expansive force of the steam already let in. See Expansion gear, under Expansion. (b) Any device for stopping or changing a current, as of grain or water in a spout.

Webster 1913

Cut"-out` noun

Definitions

1. (Telegraphy) A species of switch for changing the current from one circuit to another, or for shortening a circuit.
2. (Elec.) A divice for breaking or separating a portion of circuit.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite costing less than standard price
  cut-price; bargain-priced.
  
  • buying bargain-priced clothes for the children
  • cut-rate goods

WordNet

• adjective satellite costing less than standard price
  cut-price; bargain-priced.
  
  • buying bargain-priced clothes for the children
  • cut-rate goods

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• noun an occasion (usually brief) for buying at specially reduced prices
  sale; sales event.
  
  • they held a sale to reduce their inventory
  • I got some great bargains at their annual sale

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• noun someone who plays practical jokes on others
  prankster; trickster; tricker; practical joker; hoaxer.
  

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• noun the angle between the face of a cutting tool and the surface of the work
  

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• noun a wooden board where meats or vegetables can be cut
  chopping board.
  

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• noun the position of greatest importance or advancement; the leading position in any movement or field
  vanguard; forefront.
  
  • the Cotswolds were once at the forefront of woollen manufacturing in England
  • the idea of motion was always to the forefront of his mind and central to his philosophy
• noun the sharp cutting side of the blade of a knife
  knife edge.
  

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• noun a tool used for cutting or slicing
  

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• noun the act of cutting something off
  abscission.
  
• noun the act of shortening something by chopping off the ends
  cutting; cut.
  
  • the barber gave him a good cut

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• noun surgical removal of a body part or tissue
  extirpation; excision; ablation.
  

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• noun a room where films or tapes are edited (by cutting out unwanted parts)
  

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• noun a cutting implement; a tool for cutting
  cutlery; cutter.
  

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• adjective satellite in accord with the most fashionable ideas or style
  with-it; up-to-date.
  
  • wears only the latest style
  • the last thing in swimwear
  • cutting-edge technology
  • a with-it boutique

WordNet

Draw"-cut` noun

Definitions

1. A single cut with a knife.

Webster 1913

• noun the final edited version of a movie as approved by the director and producer
  

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• fine cut tobacco; a kind of chewing tobacco cut up into shreds.

Webster 1913

• one that always operates at the same fixed point of the stroke.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite cut recently
  
  • fresh-cut flowers

WordNet

• . (a) The act or process of dividing glass, as sheets of glass into panes with a diamond. (b) The act or process of shaping the surface of glass by appylying it to revolving wheels, upon which sand, emery, and, afterwards, polishing powder, are applied; especially of glass which is shaped into facets, tooth ornaments, and the like. Glass having ornamental scrolls, etc., cut upon it, is said to be engraved.

Webster 1913

• (Steam Engine), a variable cut-off gear in which the governor acts in such a way as to cause the steam to be cut off from entering the cylinder at points of the stroke dependent upon the engine's speed.

Webster 1913

• noun an immediate transition from one scene to another
  

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• noun bee that cuts rounded pieces from leaves and flowers to line its nest
  leaf-cutter bee; leaf-cutter.
  

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• adverb without delay
  lickety split.
  
  • she tackled the job lickety-split

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• adjective satellite (of a garment) having a low-cut neckline
  decollete; low-necked.
  
  • a low-cut neckline
• adjective satellite having a low-cut back
  
  • a backless dress

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• adjective satellite hard and sharp enough to cut metal
  
  • metal-cutting tools

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• noun the act of reducing a salary
  pay cut.
  

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• noun an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine
  press clipping; clipping; cutting; newspaper clipping.
  
  • he searched through piles of letters and clippings

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• noun cutting the price of merchandise to one lower than the usual or advertised price
  price cut.
  

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• noun cutting the price of merchandise to one lower than the usual or advertised price
  price cut.
  

WordNet

Rose"-cut` adjective

Definitions

1. Cut flat on the reverse, and with a convex face formed of triangular facets in rows; -- said of diamonds and other precious stones. See Rose diamond, under Rose. Cf. Brilliant, n.

Webster 1913

• noun the first print of a movie after preliminary editing
  

WordNet

• adjective satellite lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
  uncouth; vulgar; coarse; common.
  
  • he had coarse manners but a first-rate mind
  • behavior that branded him as common
  • an untutored and uncouth human being
  • an uncouth soldier--a real tough guy
  • appealing to the vulgar taste for violence
  • the vulgar display of the newly rich
• adjective satellite of stone or timber; shaped roughly without finishing
  roughhewn.
  

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• noun the act of reducing a salary
  pay cut.
  

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Screw"-cut`ting adjective

Definitions

1. Adapted for forming a screw by cutting; as, a screw-cutting lathe.

Webster 1913

• a file having teeth of a grade next finer than bastard.

Webster 1913

Sharp-cut` adjective

Definitions

1. Cut sharply or definitely, or so as to make a clear, well-defined impression, as the lines of an engraved plate, and the like; clear-cut; hence, having great distinctness; well-defined; clear.

Webster 1913

• a canal or road branching out from the main one. U.S.

Webster 1913

• . See the Note under 4th File.
• a file having only one set of parallel teeth; a float.

Webster 1913

• noun the act of reducing spending
  

WordNet

• noun a scar from a cut made by a sword
  

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• noun the act of reducing taxation
  
  • the new administration's large tax cut was highly controversial

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• the general appearance of a person. Colloq.
• one's outward appearance. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, Go, etc.

Webster 1913

• etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, etc.

Webster 1913

• etc. See under Come, Cut, etc.

Webster 1913

• to frolic; to make a sportive spring; to play a prank.

Webster 1913

• to make a flourish; to cut a caper.

Webster 1913

• to make a display. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to play a trick; to cut a caper; perhaps so called from the trick of Dido, who having bought so much land as a hide would cover, is said to have cut it into thin strips long enough to inclose a spot for a citadel.

Webster 1913

• . (a) (Naut.) To make the water foam in moving; in allusion to the ripple which a ship throws off from her bows. (b) To make one's self conspicuous. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to make a display. Colloq. Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1913

• (Drama), to shorten it by leaving out passages, to adapt it for the stage.

Webster 1913

• to pass over or through in the most direct way; as, to cut across a field.

Webster 1913

• to make off suddenly and quickly; from the cutting of a ship's cable, when there is not time to raise the anchor. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To sever and cause to fall; to fell; to prostrate. "Timber . . . cut down in the mountains of Cilicia." Knolles. (b) To put down; to abash; to humble, Obs "So great is his natural eloquence, that he cuts doun the finest orator." Addison (c) To lessen; to retrench; to curtail; as, to cut down expenses. (d) (Naut.) To raze; as, to cut down a frigate into a sloop.

Webster 1913

• to interrupt; to jont an anything suddenly.

Webster 1913

• to determine lots by cuttings cards; to draw lots.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To sever; to separate.

  I would to God, . . . The king had cut off my brother's. Shak.

  (b) To put an untimely death; to put an end to; to destroy. "Irenus was likewise cut off by martyrdom." Addison. (c) To interrupt; as, to cut off communication; to cut off (the flow of) steam from (the boiler to) a steam engine. (d) To intercept; as,, to cut off an enemy's retreat. (e) To end; to finish; as, to cut off further debate.

Webster 1913

• to become acute or knowing. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to run away. Slang De Quincey.

Webster 1913

• to come to years of discretion.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To remove by cutting or carving; as, to cut out a piece from a board. (b) To shape or form by cutting; as, to cut out a garment. " A large forest cut out into walks." Addison. (c) To scheme; to contrive; to prepare; as, to cut out work for another day. "Every man had cut out a place for himself." Addison. (d) To step in and take the place of; to supplant; as, to cut out a rival. Colloq. (e) To debar. "I am cut out from anything but common acknowledgments." Pope. (f) To seize and carry off (a vessel) from a harbor, or from under the guns of an enemy.

Webster 1913

• (Railroads, etc.), to reduce the charges for transportation below the rates established between competing lines.

Webster 1913

• to arrest or check abruptly; to bring to a sudden termination. "Achilles cut him short, and thus replied." Dryden.

Webster 1913

• to make off clandestinely or precipitately. Slang

Webster 1913

• to put forth teeth; to have the teeth pierce through the gum and appear.

Webster 1913

• to divide a pack of cards into portions, in order to determine the deal or the trump, or to change the cards to be dealt.

Webster 1913

• to dispose of a difficulty summarily; to solve it by prompt, arbitrary action, rather than by skill or patience.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To cut into pieces; as, to cut cloth to pieces. (b) To slaughter; as, to cut an army to pieces.

Webster 1913

• to undersell; as, to cut under a competitor in trade.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To cut to pieces; as, to cut up an animal, or bushes. (b) To damage or destroy; to injure; to wound; as, to cut up a book or its author by severe criticism. "This doctrine cuts up all government by the roots." Locke. (c) To afflict; to discourage; to demoralize; as, the death of his friend cut him up terribly. Colloq. Thackeray.
• . (a) To play pranks. Colloq. (b) To divide into portions well or ill; to have the property left at one's death turn out well or poorly when divided among heirs, legatees, etc. Slang. "When I die, may I cut up as well as Morgan Pendennis."

Webster 1913

• to play pranks. Slang, U.S.

Webster 1913

• to draw lots, as of paper, etc., cut unequal lengths.

Webster 1913

• . See under Cut, n.

Webster 1913

• to be sharp and knowing. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite having ample fabric
  wide; full.
  
  • the current taste for wide trousers
  • a full skirt

WordNet

• an engraving on wood; also, a print from such an engraving.

Webster 1913