Definition

1. Verb:

   • To make an opening, incision, or separation in something with a sharp-edged tool or object: The primary action of using a blade or sharp implement to divide or penetrate a material.
   • To reduce the size, amount, or length of something: To make something smaller or shorter by removing a part.
   • To divide or separate something into parts with a sharp tool: To slice or sever an object into pieces.
   • To stop or interrupt something: To cause an activity or process to cease.
   • To shape or form by removing material with a sharp tool: To fashion an object by carving, hewing, or trimming.
   • To make a recording or a film: To perform the action of recording audio or video, or editing such material.
   • To intentionally not attend: To be absent from something, especially a class or meeting, without permission.

2. Noun:

   • An opening or wound made by something sharp: The result of a cutting action; a gash or incision.
   • A reduction in amount, size, or number: The act or result of making something smaller or less.
   • A piece or portion that has been separated from a whole by cutting: A slice or segment, especially of food.
   • The style or manner in which something, especially a garment, is shaped: The way clothing is designed and tailored.
   • An unexcused absence: The act of not attending a scheduled event, like a class.
   • A sharp or hurtful remark: A comment that causes emotional pain.

3. Adjective:

   • Having been penetrated or divided by a sharp edge: Describing a surface that is opened or separated.
   • Reduced in amount or diluted: Made weaker or less concentrated.
   • Shaped or fashioned by cutting: Formed through a cutting process, often implying precision.
   • Having the testicles removed (of a male animal): Gelded.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:

  • Please cut the bread. (Use a knife to slice the bread.)
  • The company had to cut its budget. (The company had to reduce its spending.)
  • The director will cut that scene from the film. (The director will remove that scene during editing.)
  • He cut class yesterday. (He intentionally did not attend class yesterday.)

• Noun:

  • She had a deep cut on her finger. (She had a severe wound on her finger.)
  • The government announced spending cuts. (The government announced reductions in expenditure.)
  • He asked for a cut of the profits. (He asked for a share of the earnings.)
  • That was a cruel cut. (That was a very hurtful remark.)

• Adjective:

  • He showed me the cut surface of the gem. (He showed me the surface that had been sliced.)
  • I prefer cut flowers. (I prefer flowers that have been severed from the plant.)
  • It was a well-cut suit. (It was a suit that was expertly tailored.)

Advanced Usage

• "cut it fine": To allow very little time or margin for something.
  • If you leave at 7:45 for an 8:00 flight, you're cutting it fine.
• "cut the mustard": To meet the required standard; to be competent.
  • The new software just doesn't cut the mustard for our needs.
• "cut to the chase": To get to the point without wasting time.
  • Let's cut to the chase—what's the real problem?

Variants and Related Words

• Cutter (n): A person or tool that cuts.
• Cutting (n/adj):
  • (n) A piece cut from a plant for propagation; an excerpt from a film or text.
  • (adj) Capable of cutting; (of a remark) hurtful.
• Cutback (n): A reduction, especially in expenditure or staff.
• Cut-off (n): A point or limit marking a boundary or end.
• Cut-out (n): A shape that has been cut out from a material.

Synonyms

• Verb: Slice, chop, sever, reduce, decrease, trim, edit, skip.
• Noun: Gash, slash, reduction, decrease, piece, share, style, absence.
• Adjective: Sliced, severed, reduced, diluted, tailored.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• cut down (on): To reduce the amount of something consumed or used.
  • You should cut down on sugar.
• cut off:
  • To remove by cutting.

    • He cut off a piece of rope.
  • To stop the supply of something.

    • The electricity was cut off.
  • To interrupt someone speaking.

    • She cut me off mid-sentence.
• cut out:
  • To remove by cutting around.

    • The children cut out pictures from the magazine.
  • To stop doing something.

    • You need to cut out complaining.
• cut in:
  • To interrupt a conversation.

    • It's rude to cut in like that.
  • (Of a mechanism) To start operating.

    • The emergency generator cut in when the power failed.*

Related Idioms

• a cut above: Superior to; better than.
  • Her work is a cut above the rest.
• cut and dried: Decided or settled in advance; predictable.
  • The outcome of the meeting wasn't cut and dried.
• cut both ways: To have both advantages and disadvantages.
  • This policy cuts both ways; it helps some but hurts others.
• cut your losses: To stop doing something that is causing you to lose money or resources.
  • We need to cut our losses and abandon the project.
• cut the ground from under someone's feet: To spoil someone's plans or arguments by anticipating them.
  • Her detailed report cut the ground from under the opposition's feet.

Verb

1. cut off the testicles (of male animals such as horses)
   • the vet gelded the young horse
2. grow through the gums
   • The new tooth is cutting
3. have grow through the gums
   • The baby cut a tooth
4. lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
   • cut bourbon
5. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
   • The manuscript must be shortened
6. cease, stop
   • cut the noise
   • We had to cut short the conversation
7. have a reducing effect
   • This cuts into my earnings
8. dissolve by breaking down the fat of
   • soap cuts grease
9. weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
   • We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet
10. shorten as if by severing the edges or ends of
    • cut my hair
11. refuse to acknowledge
    • She cut him dead at the meeting
12. penetrate injuriously
    • The glass from the shattered windshield cut into her forehead
13. fell by sawing; hew
    • The Vietnamese cut a lot of timber while they occupied Cambodia
14. reap or harvest
    • cut grain
15. cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch
    • Turn off the stereo, please
    • cut the engine
    • turn out the lights
16. divide a deck of cards at random into two parts to make selection difficult
    • Wayne cut
    • She cut the deck for a long time
17. allow incision or separation
    • This bread cuts easily
18. function as a cutting instrument
    • This knife cuts well
19. perform or carry out
    • cut a caper
20. form or shape by cutting or incising
    • cut paper dolls
21. create by duplicating data
    • cut a disk
    • burn a CD
22. record a performance on (a medium)
    • cut a record
23. make a recording of
    • cut the songs
    • She cut all of her major titles again
24. stop filming
    • cut a movie scene
25. make an abrupt change of image or sound
    • cut from one scene to another
26. pass through or across
    • The boat cut the water
27. pass directly and often in haste
    • We cut through the neighbor's yard to get home sooner
28. move (one's fist)
    • his opponent cut upward toward his chin
29. give the appearance or impression of
    • cut a nice figure
30. be able to manage or manage successfully
    • I can't hack it anymore
    • she could not cut the long days in the office
31. intentionally fail to attend
    • cut class
32. cut and assemble the components of
    • edit film
    • cut recording tape
33. make out and issue
    • write out a check
    • cut a ticket
    • Please make the check out to me
34. hit (a ball) with a spin so that it turns in the opposite direction
    • cut a Ping-Pong ball
35. style and tailor in a certain fashion
    • cut a dress
36. form by probing, penetrating, or digging
    • cut a hole
    • cut trenches
    • The sweat cut little rivulets into her face
37. discharge from a group
    • The coach cut two players from the team
38. make an incision or separation
    • cut along the dotted line
39. turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    • The car cut to the left at the intersection
    • The motorbike veered to the right
40. cut down on; make a reduction in
    • reduce your daily fat intake
    • The employer wants to cut back health benefits
41. separate with or as if with an instrument
    • Cut the rope

Adjective

1. mixed with water
   • sold cut whiskey
   • a cup of thinned soup
2. (used of rates or prices) reduced usually sharply
   • the slashed prices attracted buyers
3. (of a male animal) having the testicles removed
   • a cut horse
4. (of pages of a book) having the folds of the leaves trimmed or slit
   • the cut pages of the book
5. (used of grass or vegetation) cut down with a hand implement or machine
   • the smell of newly mown hay
6. made neat and tidy by trimming
   • his neatly trimmed hair
7. with parts removed
   • the drastically cut film
8. fashioned or shaped by cutting
   • a well-cut suit
   • cut diamonds
   • cut velvet
9. separated into parts or laid open or penetrated with a sharp edge or instrument
   • the cut surface was mottled
   • cut tobacco
   • blood from his cut forehead
   • bandages on her cut wrists

Noun

1. an unexcused absence from class
   • he was punished for taking too many cuts in his math class
2. the act of reducing the amount or number
   • the mayor proposed extensive cuts in the city budget
3. the act of shortening something by chopping off the ends
   • the barber gave him a good cut
4. the act of cutting something into parts
   • his cuts were skillful
   • his cutting of the cake made a terrible mess
5. the act of penetrating or opening open with a sharp edge
   • his cut in the lining revealed the hidden jewels
6. the division of a deck of cards before dealing
   • he insisted that we give him the last cut before every deal
   • the cutting of the cards soon became a ritual
7. (sports) a stroke that puts reverse spin on the ball
   • cuts do not bother a good tennis player
8. in baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball
   • he took a vicious cut at the ball
9. a refusal to recognize someone you know
   • the snub was clearly intentional
10. a canal made by erosion or excavation
11. the style in which a garment is cut
    • a dress of traditional cut
12. the omission that is made when an editorial change shortens a written passage
    • an editor's deletions frequently upset young authors
    • both parties agreed on the excision of the proposed clause
13. a distinct selection of music from a recording or a compact disc
    • he played the first cut on the cd
    • the title track of the album
14. a remark capable of wounding mentally
    • the unkindest cut of all
15. a piece of meat that has been cut from an animal carcass
16. a wound made by cutting
    • he put a bandage over the cut
17. a step on some scale
    • he is a cut above the rest
18. a trench resembling a furrow that was made by erosion or excavation
19. (film) an immediate transition from one shot to the next
    • the cut from the accident scene to the hospital seemed too abrupt
20. a share of the profits
    • everyone got a cut of the earnings