cut

1. to penetrate with or as if with a sharp-edged instrument or object:

   He cut his finger.

   Synonyms: lance, slit, slash, gash

2. to divide with or as if with a sharp-edged instrument; sever; carve:

   She cut the string and opened the package.

   Synonyms: bisect, sunder, cleave

3. to detach with or as if with a sharp-edged instrument; separate from the main body; lop off:

   Cut me a slice from that loaf of bread.

4. to hew or saw down; fell:

   They were granted a permit to cut timber on that land.

5. to hollow out; excavate; dig:

   They cut a trench around his house.

6. to trim by clipping, shearing, paring, or pruning:

   I need to get my hair cut soon—it's so long now.

7. to mow; reap; harvest:

   Traditionally, grain was cut by hand with a sickle.

8. to abridge or shorten; edit by omitting a part or parts:

   I have to cut my speech to bring it under the time limit.

   Synonyms: curtail, abbreviate

9. to repeatedly inflict injury on (oneself) by deliberately cutting the skin; to self-harm with a sharp-edged object.
10. to lower, reduce, diminish, or curtail (sometimes followed by down ):

    The store promised to cut prices.

11. to dilute; make less thick:

    In ancient times, wine was often cut with water.

12. to dissolve:

    That detergent cuts grease effectively.

13. to intersect; cross:

    One line cuts another at right angles.

14. Informal. to cease; discontinue (often followed by out ):

    Cut the kidding.

    Let's cut out the pretense.

15. to stop; halt the running of, as a liquid or an engine (often followed by off ):

    The pilot cut the engines and glided in for a landing.

    Cut off the hot water.

16. to dilute or adulterate (a drug) by mixing it with other substances.
17. to grow (a tooth or teeth) through the gum:

    The baby is cutting his teeth.

18. to type, write, or draw on (a stencil) for mimeographing.
19. to make or fashion by cutting, as a statue, jewel, or garment.
20. Glassmaking. to produce a pattern (in glass) by grinding and polishing.
21. to refuse to recognize socially; shun ostentatiously:

    Her friends began to cut her as news of her misfortune spread.

22. to strike sharply, as with a whip.
23. to absent oneself from:

    We're allowed to cut three classes per semester.

24. Movies, Television.
    1. to stop (a scene or shot being filmed).
    2. to edit (a film).
25. Computers. to remove (selected text, images, etc.) from a file to store in temporary memory until pasted elsewhere. Compare copy ( def 15 ), paste ( def 13 ).
26. to wound the feelings of severely.
27. Cards.
    1. to divide (a pack of cards) at random into two or more parts, by removing cards from the top.
    2. to take (a card) from a deck.
28. to record a selection on (a vinyl record or tape); make a recording of.
29. to castrate; geld.
30. Sports. to hit (a ball) with either the hand or some instrument so as to change its course and often to cause it to spin.
31. Cricket. to strike and send off (a ball) in front of the batsman, and parallel to the wicket.
32. Slang. to be a nonplaying dealer, manager, or supervisor of (a card game, crap game, or other gambling game) in return for a percentage of the money bet or sometimes for a fee.

1. to penetrate or divide something, as with a sharp-edged instrument; make an incision:

   The scissors cut well.

2. to admit of being cut:

   Butter cuts easily.

3. to repeatedly inflict self-harm by deliberately cutting the skin.
4. to pass, go, or come, especially in the most direct way (usually followed by across, through, in, etc.):

   to cut across an empty lot.

5. Movies, Television.
   1. to shift suddenly from one shot to another:

      Cut to the barroom interior.

   2. to stop the action of a scene: used as a command by a director.
6. to make a sudden or sharp turn in direction; change direction suddenly; swerve:

   We cut to the left to avoid hitting the cyclist.

7. to strike a person, animal, etc., sharply, as with a whip.
8. to wound the feelings severely:

   His criticism cut deep.

9. (of the teeth) to grow through the gums.
10. Computers. to remove selected text, images, etc., from a file for storage in temporary memory until pasted elsewhere. Compare copy ( def 17 ), paste ( def 14 ).
11. Cards. to cut the cards.
12. Informal. to leave hastily:

    to cut for the hills.

13. (of a horse) interfere ( def 5 ).
14. to separate a specific animal from a herd of cattle.

1. divided into pieces by cutting; detached by cutting:

   The vase was filled with beautiful cut flowers.

2. fashioned by cutting; having the surface shaped or ornamented by grinding, polishing, or the like:

   cut diamonds.

3. reduced by or as if by cutting: The cut prices came just in time for the holidays.

   This cheap cut whiskey tastes watery.

   The cut prices came just in time for the holidays.

4. Slang. having very sculpted muscles and little body fat:

   I assume from his cut body that he works out a lot.

5. Botany. incised; cleft.
6. castrated; gelded.
7. Slang. drunk ( def ).

1. the act of cutting; a stroke or a blow, as with a knife, whip, etc.
2. the result of cutting, as an incision, wound, passage, or channel.
3. a piece cut off:

   a cut of a pie.

4. Informal. a share, especially of earnings or profits:

   His agent's cut is 20 percent.

5. a haircut, often with a styling.
6. a reduction in price, salary, etc.
7. the manner or fashion in which anything is cut:

   the cut of a dress.

8. style; manner; kind:

   We need a man of his cut in this firm.

9. a passage or course straight across or through:

   a cut through the woods.

10. an excision or omission of a part.
11. a part or quantity of text deleted or omitted.
12. a quantity cut, especially of lumber.
13. a refusal to recognize an acquaintance.
14. an act, speech, etc., that wounds the feelings.
15. an engraved plate or block of wood used for printing.
16. a printed picture or illustration.
17. an absence, as from a school class, at which attendance is required.
18. Butchering. part of an animal usually cut as one piece.
19. Cards. a cutting of the cards.
20. Sports.
    1. the act of cutting a ball.
    2. the spin imparted.
21. Fencing. a blow with the edge of the blade instead of the tip.
22. one of several pieces of straw, paper, etc., used in drawing lots.
23. Movies, Television.
    1. the instantaneous or gradual transition from one shot or scene to another in an edited film.
    2. an edited version of a film. Compare rough cut, final cut.
    3. an act or instance of editing a film.
24. an individual song, musical piece, or other similar material on a record or tape.
25. any product of the fractional distillation of petroleum.
26. Slang. a vest worn by motorcyclists, typically made of leather or sometimes denim, and often decorated with patches, insignias, etc.

verb phrase

1. to precede or go beyond considerations of; transcend:

   The new tax program cuts across party lines.

2. 1. to omit; delete; excise.
   2. to oust and replace a rival; supplant.
   3. to part an animal from a herd.
   4. to plan; arrange:

      He has his work cut out for him.

   5. to move out of one's lane of traffic.
   6. Also cut on out. Slang. to leave suddenly.
   7. Informal. to refrain from; stop:

      to cut out smoking.

   8. (of an engine, machine, etc.) to stop running.
3. 1. to cut into pieces or sections.
   2. to lacerate; wound.
   3. to distress mentally; injure.
   4. Informal. to play pranks; misbehave:

      They were scolded for cutting up in church.

4. 1. to move or thrust oneself, a vehicle, etc., abruptly between others:

      A speeding car cut in and nearly caused an accident.

   2. to interpose; interrupt:

      to cut in with a remark.

   3. Informal. to interrupt a dancing couple in order to dance with one of them.
   4. to blend (shortening) into flour by means of a knife.
5. 1. Also cut down on. to lessen; decrease:

      to cut down on between-meal snacks.

   2. to strike and cause to fall:

      The first force to attempt an advance was swiftly cut down.

   3. to destroy, kill, or disable:

      The hurricane cut down everything in its path.

   4. to remodel, remake, or reduce in size, as a garment:

      She had her old coat cut down to fit her daughter.

6. 1. to intercept.
   2. to interrupt.
   3. to stop suddenly; discontinue.
   4. to halt the operation of; turn off.
   5. to shut off or shut out.
   6. to disinherit.
   7. to sever; separate.