Meaning of cut In English

• 0 to break the surface of something, or to divide or make something smaller, using a sharp tool, especially a knife:

  • to cut a slice of bread

  • I cut myself/my hand on that glass/with that knife.

  • Cut the meat up into small pieces.

  • This knife doesn't cut very well.

  • Where did you have your hair cut?

  • [ + obj + adj ] Firefighters had to cut the trapped driver loose/free (= cut the metal to allow the driver to get out of the car) using special equipment.

  • He fell off the swing and cut his head open (= got a deep cut in his head).

  • He cut the cake in/into six (pieces) and gave each child a slice.

• 1 to make something shorter, lower, smaller, etc.:

  • to cut prices/costs

  • to cut overtime/wages

• 2 to remove something from something else:

  • The sex scenes had been cut out of the TV version of the film.

• 3 to not go, especially to a place where you should be:

  • Your son has been cutting classes.

• 4 to stop or interrupt something:

  • to cut an engine/a motor

  • "Cut! (= stop filming!)" shouted the director.

  • He started to explain, but she cut him short.

  • Just cut it out! I've had enough of your time wasting.

• 5 (of a baby) to grow a new tooth:

  • The baby's cutting a tooth. That's why she's crying.

• 6 to go through or across a place, especially in order to get somewhere quickly:

  • to cut through a passage

• 7 to choose a playing card by dividing a pile of cards into two parts:

  • Who's going to cut the cards?

• 8 to record music or speech on a record:

  • When did the Stones cut their first record?

• 9 an injury made when the skin is cut with something sharp:

  • a deep cut

• 10 a piece of meat cut from a particular part of an animal:

  • Sirloin is the most expensive cut of beef.

• 11 the shape into which something is cut:

  • I don't like the cut of these jeans.

• 12 a reduction in the number, amount, or rate of something:

  • a cut in expenditure/interest rates/hospital waiting lists

  • Students and workers were out on the streets protesting against the cuts.

• 13 the act of removing a part from a book, film, etc., or a part that is removed:

  • The movie contains some very violent scenes, so some cuts were made when it was shown on TV.

• 14 a share of something, usually money:

  • When am I going to get my cut?

• 15 a deep, narrow passage made through a hill for a road, railway, or canal

• 16 to use a sharp tool such as a knife to break the surface of something, divide something, or make something smaller:

  • [ T ] Cut the apple in half.

  • [ T ] She wanted to have her hair cut (= made shorter).

  • [ M ] We had to cut two trees down (= remove them) to make room for the swimming pool.

  • [ M ] The children cut the pictures out (= removed them by cutting) and stuck them in their scrapbooks.

  • [ T ] I stepped on a piece of glass and cut my foot.

• 17 to make less in size, amount, length, etc.:

  • We’ve got to cut costs.

  • The original movie was almost four hours long, but it was later cut to two hours.

• 18 to stay away from a class, talk, performance, etc., that you have a duty to go to:

  • He was cutting classes and getting failing grades.

• 19 to stop or interrupt something, or to stop working suddenly or cause this to happen:

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] Since his illness he’s cut out eating sweets altogether.

  • [ T ] Because of failing grades, he was cut (= released) from the team.

  • [ I ] “Cut! (= Stop filming!)” shouted the director.

• 20 to grow a new tooth:

  • The baby was cranky last night because she’s cutting a tooth.

• 21 to go through or across a place, esp. in order to get somewhere quickly:

  • To get to school I cut through the field.

• 22 to divide a pile of cards into two parts:

  • [ I/T ] Who’s going to cut (the cards)?

• 23 to make a recording of music or speech on a record:

  • When did Elvis cut his first record?

• 24 to include several things that usually are separated from each other:

  • Iron deficiency in women cuts across all socioeconomic levels.

• 25 to reduce or stop:

  • He was advised to cut back on sugary sodas.

  • Cancel the service, or cut it back to “basic.”

• 26 to reduce something in amount, size, or number of times repeated:

  • I’ve decided to cut down on snacks.

  • Seat belts have cut down the number of injuries in car accidents.

• 27 to interrupt someone who is talking:

  • I was talking to Jeff when Amy cut in.

• 28 to include someone in a plan, activity, or process:

  • Next time you get free concert tickets, cut me in.

• 29 to stop or interrupt something suddenly, or to stop someone from speaking:

  • We were cut off in the middle of our phone conversation.

• 30 (of a driver or vehicle) to move suddenly in front of another driver or vehicle, leaving too little space:

  • He claimed that a truck had cut him off just before the accident.

• 31 to keep someone from taking part in a plan, activity, or process:

  • Some critics say the proposed amendment is effectively cutting others out of the planning process.

• 32 to be the right type of person for a particular job or activity:

  • He’s just not cut out for politics.

• 33 to stop something suddenly before it is completed:

  • We cut short our vacation when we learned of my mother’s illness.

• 34 to understand something that is not easy to understand:

  • She can cut through the confusing statistics and get at the important facts.

• 35 a reduction in the size, amount, length, etc., of something:

  • Many workers had to take a cut in pay.

  • For the TV version, they made several cuts in the movie.

• 36 something made by cutting:

  • She went to the butcher’s to get a good cut of meat.

  • She had a nasty cut on her hand.

  • the cut of a suit

  • I was part-owner of the business, and when my sister sold it, I said I wanted my cut.

• 37 (of flowers) removed from their roots by being cut through their stems so they can be used for decoration:

  • These cut flowers will last three days in fresh water.

• 38 to make something lower, smaller, shorter, etc.:

  • cut sth (from sth) (to sth) We have cut our wage bill from £12,000 to £8,000 per week.

  • cut sth (from sth) We need to cut 50% from our advertising budget.

  • cut sth (by sth) The manufacturing group aims to cut its carbon emissions by 20% over the next five years.

  • cut jobs/staff/the workforce Schmitz Chemicals plans to cut 20,000 jobs worldwide.

  • cut borrowing/costs/spending

  • cut output/production

• 39 to remove something from a document, especially from a document on a computer screen:

  • The report is too long – I need to cut 500 words.

  • I'll cut and paste some photos from our online catalogue into my presentation.

• 40 to reach an agreement:

  • The carmaker has cut a deal with unions to limit pay rises.

• 41 to work in two ways, or to have two opposite effects:

  • Setting prices high cuts both ways – it could lose some customers, but it also suggests high-quality.

• 42 to do something in a way that saves time or money, but that reduces quality:

  • If a restaurant cuts corners on ingredients, it will lose customers.

• 43 to successfully do what you are asked to do:

  • Some people work well under pressure; others can't cut it.

  • For heavy office use, this printer just doesn't cut it.

• 44 to leave very little, or not enough, time to do something:

  • It's two o'clock now, so you're cutting it fine if you need to be at the airport by three.

• 45 to avoid losing any more money than you have already lost:

  • The manufacturer has decided to cut its losses and sell its unprofitable divisions.

• 46 a reduction in the amount or level of something:

  • a 0.25% cut in interest rates

  • The supermarket is expected to make drastic job cuts to its 9,000-strong workforce.

  • big/deep/swingeing, etc. cuts There will need to be big cuts in public spending.

  • price/spending/tax, etc. cuts

  • job/pay/wage, etc. cuts

  • make/propose/threaten, etc. cuts The industry regulator announced that it is proposing price cuts of at least 7%.

• 47 a share in an amount of money:

  • If you make a profit on the deal, I'll expect a cut.