cut

cut1 [ kʌt ] (past tense and past participle cut) verb ***

▸ 1 use knife/sharp tool

▸ 2 have ability to cut

▸ 3 injure part of body

▸ 4 reduce/lower

▸ 5 on computer

▸ 6 stop something moving/working

▸ 7 make something shorter

▸ 8 divide playing cards

▸ 9 divide area into parts

▸ 10 make a record

▸ 11 pass through/across

▸ 12 take place in line

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to use a knife, pair of scissors, or other sharp tool to divide something into two or more pieces:

I'm going to cut the cake now.

The telephone wires had been cut.

cut something in half/two: The apples had been cut in half.

cut something into pieces/quarters/three etc.: Cut the pepper into small pieces.

a ) to use a sharp tool to remove a piece from something:

I cut a slice of bread.

cut someone something: Will you cut me a slice of pizza?

cut something from/off something: You should cut that broken branch off the tree.

cut something in/through something: Firemen had to cut a hole in the car roof to get him out.

b ) to use a sharp tool to make something shorter: TRIM:

You need to cut your toenails.

It's Ken's turn to cut the grass.

have/get your hair cut: I'm going to have my hair cut tomorrow.

2. ) intransitive to be capable of cutting in a particular way:

These scissors don't cut very well.

a ) transitive to be able to cut a particular substance:

a tool that cuts metal easily

3. ) transitive to injure a part of your body with something sharp that cuts the skin:

Be careful not to cut your finger.

He cut himself shaving.

Her face was badly cut by flying glass.

4. ) transitive to reduce something such as the amount or level of something:

Supermarkets are drastically cutting prices.

We have cut our spending by 33%.

cut something to the bone (=reduce it as much as possible): The government has cut our funding to the bone.

a ) to reduce the strength or effectiveness of something by mixing it with something else:

cut something with something: cocaine cut with chalk powder

5. ) transitive to remove a part of a computer document, especially in order to PASTE it into another place or document

=> CUT AND PASTE1

6. ) cut or cut off transitive to stop the supply of something or stop something working:

The accident had cut the oxygen to her brain.

All lines of communication had been cut.

Could you cut the engine for a minute?

7. ) transitive to make something such as a piece of writing, a speech, a movie, or a broadcast shorter by removing parts from it:

You need to cut your speech by about 10 minutes.

a ) cut or cut out to remove parts from something such as a piece of writing, a speech, a movie, or a broadcast, especially because they are not suitable:

They have cut some sex scenes from the film.

8. ) intransitive or transitive to divide a set of playing cards into two piles

9. ) transitive to divide an area into two or more parts:

The Danube cuts Budapest in two.

10. ) transitive if a musician or band cuts a record, they record it

11. ) cut or cut across transitive to pass through or across something:

the place where Broadway cuts 42nd Street

12. ) cut or cut in line intransitive AMERICAN to take a place near the front of a line of people rather than going to the back

cut and run INFORMAL

to get out of a situation when it becomes too difficult or unpleasant

cut both ways

if something cuts both ways, it has both good and bad aspects

cut a check AMERICAN

if a business cuts a check, it approves or writes it

cut the cheese AMERICAN

to FART

cut class/school AMERICAN INFORMAL

to not go to class/school when you should be there:

That's the second time you've cut class this week.

cut corners

to not do a job as thoroughly as you should, especially because you want to finish it quickly or save money

cut someone dead

1. ) to pretend not to see or recognize someone you know:

I shouted hello but she cut me dead.

2. ) AMERICAN to hurt someone's feelings by refusing to speak to them

cut a deal

to make a business deal

cut a fine/ridiculous etc. figure LITERARY

to look very attractive/silly etc.:

Tom cut a striking figure in his dark dinner jacket.

cut the ground from under someone's feet

to spoil someone's plans or achievements by doing something better than them or by doing it before them

cut it INFORMAL

to be satisfactory or successful:

We want to know why so many talented youngsters just don't cut it.

cut it close AMERICAN INFORMAL

to give yourself only a very short amount of time to do something:

He left the hotel at 9 a.m., which was cutting it close for his 9:15 meeting.

cut loose INFORMAL

1. ) if someone cuts loose or is cut loose, they stop being influenced or controlled by someone:

It's time you cut loose from your family.

2. ) INFORMAL to stop behaving in a controlled way and start having fun

cut your losses

to get out of a bad situation before it gets worse instead of waiting to see whether it will improve

cut no ice/not cut any ice (with someone)

to fail to impress or influence someone

cut your own throat

to behave in a way that causes serious harm or trouble for yourself

cut someone short

to interrupt someone who is talking so that they cannot finish what they are saying

cut something short

to make something last for less time than planned:

I'm sorry we had to cut our visit short.

cut your teeth on something

to get your first experience in a particular job by doing something:

actors who cut their teeth on low-budget movies

cut to the chase

to start dealing with the most important aspect of something rather than things that are less relevant

cut someone to the quick

to say or do something unkind that makes someone feel very upset:

His mockery, which he meant as a joke, cut her to the quick.

cut a tooth

if a child cuts a tooth, it starts to grow through the GUM

not cut the mustard INFORMAL

to not be good enough

to cut a long story short

used for saying that you will not talk about all the details of something but will go directly to the most important point

=> CRAP1

,cut a`cross phrasal verb transitive cut across something

1. ) to go across an area of land instead of going around the edge of it:

We cut across the field to save time.

2. ) same as CUT1 11:

A river cut across the path about a hundred yards farther on.

3. ) to affect two or more different groups:

These problems cut across class boundaries.

,cut a`way phrasal verb transitive

to remove the parts of something that you do not want by cutting them:

Cut away any dead growth on your roses.

,cut `back phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive or transitive to reduce the amount of something, especially money that you spend:

It's time we cut back a little.

plans to cut back investment in education

cut back on: We're trying to cut back on the amount we spend for food.

2. ) intransitive or transitive same as CUT DOWN 3:

Pete smokes but he's trying to cut back.

cut back on: If you cut back on fat and sugar, you'll lose weight.

3. ) transitive to remove parts of a plant or tree in order to reduce its size

,cut `down phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to cut through the TRUNK of a tree in order to make it fall to the ground

2. ) intransitive or transitive cut down something to reduce an amount of something:

How can you cut down the risk of cancer?

cut down on: These improvements will cut down on traffic noise.

3. ) cut down or cut back intransitive or transitive to start doing less of something, especially because it is bad for your health:

The doctor advised him to cut down his working hours.

cut down on: I'm trying to cut down on salt.

4. ) transitive to make something such as a speech or piece of writing shorter

5. ) transitive often passive LITERARY if a weapon, bullet, or illness cuts someone down, it kills or injures them

cut someone down to size

to make someone accept that they are not as important or impressive as they believe they are

,cut `in phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive if someone cuts in when you are dancing with someone, they start dancing with the person you were dancing with

2. ) intransitive if a piece of equipment cuts in, it starts operating automatically when it is needed: KICK IN:

The cooling system cuts in when the temperature gets too high.

3. ) intransitive to drive past a vehicle and move quickly in front of it in a dangerous way

4. ) intransitive to interrupt someone who is speaking:

That's ridiculous, Sue cut in.

5. ) transitive cut someone in INFORMAL to allow someone to get part of the profits of something:

cut someone in on something: They wouldn't cut me in on the deal.

,cut `off phrasal verb transitive

1. ) same as CUT1 6:

The government has threatened to cut off our funding.

They cut off the electricity last week.

2. ) to prevent someone from ever receiving your money or property:

Her father cut her off without a penny.

3. ) to make a place difficult or impossible to enter, leave, or communicate with:

The floods completely cut off the town.

cut something off from something: Our house is cut off from the rest of the town.

a ) to prevent someone from leaving a place, or from communicating with people in another place:

Having a new baby can cut a young mother off from the adult world.

4. ) to remove something by cutting it:

Cut the tops off the carrots.

Why did you cut off all your hair?

5. ) to stop someone from going somewhere, especially by blocking their way:

A second policeman cut off his escape.

6. ) to prevent someone from continuing what they are saying:

Don't cut me off when I'm talking.

7. ) cut someone off AMERICAN INFORMAL to not allow someone to buy any more alcoholic drinks in a bar because they have already drunk too many

8. ) usually passive cut someone off if someone or something cuts you off when you are talking on the telephone, they make the telephone line stop working:

We got cut off in the middle of the call.

9. ) cut someone off to stop having a close or friendly relationship with someone:

Why did all his friends suddenly cut him off?

cut off your nose to spite your face INFORMAL

to do something that is intended to harm someone even though you know that it will harm you too

,cut `out phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to remove something from a larger piece by cutting:

cut something out of something: I cut this article out of a magazine for you.

a ) to make something by cutting it from a larger piece:

cut something out from something: Cut out six circles from a large sheet of paper.

2. ) transitive to stop eating something or doing something, especially because it is bad for your health:

I'm trying to cut out chocolate completely.

3. ) transitive same as CUT1 7A:

They've cut out several scenes in which I appeared.

4. ) transitive cut someone out to not allow someone to do something or get something:

cut someone out of something: I don't want to cut the children out of our plans.

cut someone out of your will (=not leave them anything when you die): Frank's mother cut him out of her will.

5. ) intransitive if an engine or machine cuts out, it suddenly stops working

6. ) intransitive to suddenly leave a line of traffic and join another one

7. ) transitive cut out something to stop something such as noise or light from reaching a place

cut it/that out SPOKEN

used for telling someone to stop doing something that you do not like

not be cut out for something/to do something

to lack the right qualities or character for doing something:

Bill was never cut out to be a parent.

=> WORK 2

,cut `through phrasal verb transitive cut through something

1. ) to go through an area instead of going around the edge of it:

He decided to cut through the woods.

2. ) to make a path through something by cutting:

She tried to cut through the undergrowth.

cut a way/path/route through something: He cut his way through the jungle with a machete.

3. ) to deal quickly and effectively with something that causes problems or is confusing:

We need to cut through the political rhetoric and see what really lies behind the policy.

4. ) to move quickly and smoothly through something:

England cut through the French defense and scored a goal.

,cut `up phrasal verb

1. ) intransitive AMERICAN INFORMAL to behave in a noisy silly way:

They were in the habit of cutting up whenever the teacher left the room.

2. ) transitive to cut something into several pieces:

At this stage, your child will need someone to cut up her food for her.

cut

cut 2 [ kʌt ] noun count ***

▸ 1 damage from something sharp

▸ 2 reduction in something

▸ 3 piece of meat

▸ 4 someone's part of money

▸ 5 way something is cut

▸ 6 act/process of cutting

▸ 7 making something shorter

▸ 8 way of arranging movie

▸ 9 passage

▸ 10 something that hurts feelings

▸ 11 piece of music

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) an injury on your skin where something sharp has cut it:

My son's face was covered with cuts and bruises.

She suffered a deep cut to her scalp.

a ) a mark or hole in a surface where something sharp has cut it:

Make a series of small cuts in the meat.

2. ) a reduction in something:

job/tax/pay/defense cuts

cut in: The government threatened a cut in education spending.

3. ) a piece of meat that has been cut from a particular part of the animal:

a lean cut of beef

=> COLD CUTS

4. ) usually singular INFORMAL someone's part of a total amount of money:

The agent will take a 10% cut.

5. ) usually singular the way in which someone's hair has been cut:

We gave Jenny's hair a softer cut.

a ) the way in which cloth has been cut that gives it a particular style or shape:

the stylish cut of his evening clothes

6. ) usually singular the act or process of cutting something:

I chopped the log with one clean cut.

a ) the act of cutting someone's hair:

a cut and blow-dry

7. ) an act of making something such as a piece of writing, a speech, a movie, or a broadcast shorter:

Some drastic cuts have been made in the third act.

a ) an act of removing parts from something such as a piece of writing, a speech, a movie, or a broadcast, especially because they are not suitable

8. ) a way of arranging how a movie looks by moving, removing, or adding scenes:

the director's cut

a ) a quick move from one scene of a movie to another

9. ) AMERICAN a passage cut through something such as rock

10. ) usually singular AMERICAN a comment or action that hurts someone's feelings

1

a ) a situation in which you pretend not to see or recognize someone you know

11. ) a piece of music that has been recorded

be a cut above

to be much better than someone or something else

the cut and thrust (of something) BRITISH

the lively or determined way in which something is done

=> POWER CUT

cut

cut 3 [ kʌt ] interjection

something that movie directors say when they want the actors and people making the movie to stop for a short time