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undercutting

 - 4 dictionary results

un⋅der⋅cut

[v. uhn-der-kuht, uhn-der-kuht; n., adj., uhn-der-kuht] verb, -cut, -cut⋅ting, noun, adjective
–verb (used with object)
1. to cut under or beneath.
2. to cut away material from so as to leave a portion overhanging, as in carving or sculpture.
3. to offer goods or services at a lower price or rate than (a competing price or rate) or than that of (a competitor).
4. to weaken or destroy the impact or effectiveness of; undermine.
5. Golf. to hit (the ball) so as to cause a backspin.
6. Tennis. to slice (the ball) using an underhand motion.
7. to cut (a sound recording) with grooves too shallow or with insufficient lateral motion of the stylus.
8. Forestry. to cut a notch in (a tree) in order to control the direction in which the tree is to fall.
–verb (used without object)
9. to undercut material, a competitor, a ball, etc.
–noun
10. a cut or a cutting away underneath.
11. a notch cut in a tree to determine the direction in which the tree is to fall and to prevent splitting.
12. Golf. a backspin.
13. Tennis. a slice or cut made with an underhand motion.
14. Chiefly British. a tenderloin of beef including the fillet.
15. Dentistry. a tooth cavity prepared with a wide base for anchoring a filling securely.
–adjective
16. having or resulting from an undercut.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME undercutten to cut down; see under-, cut
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To undercutting
un·der·cut   (ŭn'dər-kŭt')   
v.   un·der·cut, un·der·cut·ting, un·der·cuts

v.   tr.
  1. To diminish or destroy the province or effectiveness of; undermine: "This celebration of opulence and wealth and power undercuts the character of the Statue of Liberty" (Jesse Jackson). "The partnership between the United States and Western Europe is undercut by diverging economic interests" (Scott Sullivan).

  2. To sell at a lower price than or to work for lower wages or fees than (a competitor).

  3. To make a cut under or below.

  4. To create an overhang by cutting material away from, as in carving.

  5. Sports

    1. To impart backspin to (a ball) by striking downward as well as forward, as in golf and baseball.

    2. To cut or slice (a ball) with an underarm stroke, as in tennis.

v.   intr.
To engage in undercutting.
n.   (ŭn'dər-kŭt')
    1. A cut made in the under part to remove material.

    2. The material so removed.

    3. A spin given to a ball opposite to its direction of flight; a backspin.

    4. A cut or slice imparting such a spin.

    5. A cut or slice made with an underarm motion.

  1. A notch cut in a tree to direct its fall and insure a clean break.

  2. Chiefly British The tenderloin of beef; the fillet.

  3. Sports

    1. A spin given to a ball opposite to its direction of flight; a backspin.

    2. A cut or slice imparting such a spin.

    3. A cut or slice made with an underarm motion.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

undercut  (v.)
1382, "to cut down or off," from under + cut (v.). In the commercial sense of "to sell at lower prices" (or work at lower wages) it is first attested 1884. Fig. sense of "render unstable, undermine" is recorded from 1955, from earlier lit. meaning "cut so as to leave the upper portion larger than the lower" (1874).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: un·der·cut
Pronunciation: '&n-d&r-"k&t
Function: noun
: the part of a tooth lying between the gum and the points ofmaximum outward bulge on the tooth's surfaces
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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