cut

1 of 3

verb

ˈkət 

cut; cutting

transitive verb

1

a

: to penetrate with or as if with an edged instrument

cut one's hand with a knife

b

: to hurt the feelings of

Her sarcasm cut him to the quick.

c

: to strike sharply with a cutting effect

cut him across the legs with a whip

d

: to strike (a ball) with a glancing blow that imparts a reverse spin

cut a tennis ball with an inclined racket

e

: to experience the growth of (a tooth) through the gum

The toddler is cutting a tooth.

f

: to harm (oneself) by making cuts or scratches on one's body

The reasons given for self-inflicted violence indicate that it is a way of relieving intolerable feelings. When cutting themselves, women (and sometimes men) report that they do not feel any pain.

—Deborah Feller

2

a

: trim, pare

cut one's nails

b

: to shorten by omissions

cut the manuscript

c

: dilute, adulterate

cut the whiskey with water

d

: to reduce in amount

cut costs

e

: to remove (something, such as text or a picture) from a computer document and place it on the clipboard so that it can be pasted into another position, document, or program

3

a

: mow, reap

cut hay

b(1)

: to divide into parts with an edged tool

cut bread

(2)

: fell, hew

cut timber

c(1)

: to separate or discharge from an organization

cut them from the team

(2)

: to single out and isolate

cut a calf out from the herd

d

: to turn sharply

The driver cut the steering wheel hard.

e

: to go or pass around or about : bypass

cut the checkout line

4

a

: to divide into segments

cut the cake

b

: intersect, cross

one line cutting another

c

: break, interrupt

cut our supply lines

d(1)

: to divide (a deck of cards) into two portions

(2)

: to draw (a card) from the deck

e

: to divide into shares : split

f

: analyze, break down

Any way you cut it, we won.

5

a

: to make by or as if by cutting: such as

(1)

: carve

cut stone

(2)

: to shape by grinding

cut a diamond

(3)

: engrave

(4)

: to shear or hollow out

cut a groove

b(1)

: to sing, play, or act for the recording of

cut an album

cut a commercial

(2)

: to sing or play (a song, a track, etc.) for a studio recording

c

: to type on a stencil

d

: edit sense 1b

cut a motion picture

6

a

: stop, cease

cut the nonsense

b

: to refuse to recognize (an acquaintance)

They cut her dead at the party.

c

: to absent oneself from (something, such as a class)

d

: to stop (a motor) by opening a switch

e

: to stop the filming of (a motion-picture scene)

7

a

: to engage in (a frolicsome or mischievous action)

… on summer nights strange capers are cut under the thin guise of a Christian festival.

—Donald Culross Peattie

b

: to give the appearance or impression of

cut a fine figure

8

: to be able to manage or handle

—usually used in negative constructions

can't cut that kind of work anymore

9

a

: to yield or accord to another : give

cut me some slack

b

: to fill out and sign (a check)

intransitive verb

1

a

: to function as or as if as an edged tool

This knife cuts well.

b

: to undergo incision or severance

The cheese cuts easily.

c

: to perform the operation of dividing, severing, incising, or intersecting

The tailor is busy cutting.

d

: to make a stroke with a whip, sword, or other weapon

e

: to wound feelings or sensibilities

remarks that cut

f

: to cause constriction or chafing

a coat that cuts at the armpits

g

: to be of effect, influence, or significance

an analysis that cuts deep

2

a(1)

: to divide a pack of cards especially in order to decide the deal or settle a bet

(2)

: to draw a card from the pack

b

: to divide spoils : split

3

a

: to proceed obliquely (see oblique entry 1 sense 1) from a straight course

cut across the yard

b

: to move swiftly

a yacht cutting through the water

c

: to describe an oblique or diagonal line

d

: to change sharply in direction : swerve

The driver cut across three lanes of traffic.

e

: to make an abrupt transition from one sound or image to another in motion pictures, radio, or television

The film cuts from the ballroom to the garden.

f

: to make a sudden transition or imaginative leap

The story cuts to 1917.

4

: to stop photographing motion pictures

The director yelled "Cut!"

5

: to advance by skipping or bypassing another

cut to the front of the line

6

: to engage in self-harm by making cuts or scratches on one's body

middle school students reporting they knew of several classmates who cut

cut

2 of 3

noun

1

: a product of cutting: such as

a(1)

: an opening made with an edged instrument

(2)

: a wound made by something sharp : gash

b

: a creek, channel, or inlet made by excavation or worn by natural action

c

: a surface or outline left by cutting

d

: a passage cut as a roadway

e

: a grade or step especially in a social scale

a cut above the ordinary

f

: a subset of a set such that when it is subtracted from the set the remainder is not connected

g

: a pictorial illustration

h

: track sense 2e(2)

2

: the act or an instance of cutting: such as

a

: a gesture or expression that hurts the feelings

made an unkind cut

b

: a straight passage or course

c

: a stroke or blow with the edge of a knife or other edged tool

d

: a lash with or as if with a whip

e

: the act of reducing or removing a part

a cut in pay

f

: an act or turn of cutting cards

also : the result of cutting

g

: the elimination of part of a large field from further participation, consideration, or competition (as in a golf tournament)

—often used with miss or make to denote respectively being or not being among those eliminated

played well and made the cut

3

: something that is cut or cut off: such as

a

: a length of cloth varying from 40 to 100 yards (36.6 to 91.4 meters)

b

: the yield of products cut especially during one harvest

c

: a segment or section of a meat carcass or a part of one

d

: a group of animals selected from a herd

e

: share

took his cut of the profits

4

: a voluntary absence from a class

5

a

: a stroke that cuts a ball

also : the spin imparted by such a stroke

b

: a swing by a batter at a pitched baseball

c

: an exchange of captures in checkers

6

: a result of editing: such as

a

: an abrupt transition from one sound or image to another in movies, radio, or television

b

: an edited version of a film

7

a

: the shape and style in which a thing is cut, formed, or made

clothes of the latest cut

b

: pattern, type

c

: haircut

cut

3 of 3

adjective

: marked by a well-developed and highly defined musculature

cut abs

Phrases

cut a deal

: to negotiate an agreement

The band cut a deal with the recording company.

cut both ways

: to have both favorable and unfavorable results or implications

cut corners

: to perform some action in the quickest, easiest, or cheapest way

cut ice

: to be of importance

—usually used in negative constructions

His opinion cuts no ice with me.

cut it

: to cut the mustard

cut loose

1

: to free from control or restraint

cut us loose from the contract

2

: to act without restraint

enjoyed cutting loose at nightclubs

cut one's teeth

: to learn, do, or perform as a beginning or at the start of one's career

an actress who cut her teeth on television

cut the mustard

: to achieve the standard of performance necessary for success

She tried to join the soccer team, but she couldn't cut the mustard.

cut to the chase

: to get to the point

She urged him to skip the details and cut to the chase.

cut of one's jib

: appearance, style

Synonyms

Verb

• slit
• slice
• rip
• slash

Noun

• slice
• cutting

Examples of cut in a Sentence

Verb

cutting a piece of string

He uses the ax to cut wood.

The meat is so tender you can cut it with a fork.

Cut along the dotted line.

The saw easily cuts through metal.

She cut into the melon with a knife.

I cut myself while shaving.

I had a cut finger.

We were fighting, and he tried to cut me with his knife.

Pieces of broken glass cut her face and arms.

Noun

Make a few small cuts in the crust to let the air escape.

a two-inch cut in the cloth

He came home covered in cuts and bruises.

Further cuts in spending are needed.

You'll have to make a few cuts in your manuscript if you want us to publish it.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Both headphones are astonishingly quiet, virtually eliminating lower drone sounds, cutting higher frequency noises like key clicks, and even erasing piercing sounds like dogs barking with a bit of music. —Ryan Waniata, Wired News, 9 July 2025

To pay for these initiatives, the law cuts Medicaid and food stamps — programs relied upon by poor households with children — by more than $1 trillion. —Moriah Balingit, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025

Noun

At the same time, major cuts are happening at the IRS. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

Trump wants to pass his signature legislative proposal – which centers around tax and spending cuts – by July 4, and Senate leadership is working to get the bill finalized and up for a vote soon. —Zac Anderson, USA Today, 28 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

Middle English cutten

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1990, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cut

• a cut above
• any way you cut it
• be cut up about
• brush cut
• buzz cut
• clean-cut
• clear-cut
• crew cut
• curb cut
• cut a caper
• cut a check
• cut a dash
• cut a figure
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry
• cut-and-paste
• cut and run
• cut and thrust
• cut-and-try
• cut a rug
• cut a tooth
• cut back
• cut capers
• cut costs
• cut down
• cut down to size
• cut fastball
• cut from the same cloth
• cut glass
• cut-grass
• cut in
• cut into
• cut it close
• cut it fine
• cut-leaf philodendron
• cut no ice
• cut off
• cut off from
• cut off one's nose to spite one's face
• cut of one's jib
• cut one's losses
• cut one's own throat
• cut out
• cut out for
• cut out of
• cut out to do/be
• cut-price
• cut-rate
• cut scene
• cut short
• cut (someone) dead
• cut (someone) to the quick
• cut the apron strings
• cut the crap
• cut the Gordian knot
• cut the shit
• cut-throat razor
• cut through
• cut through red tape
• cut time
• cut to size/length
• cut to the bone
• cut to the quick
• cut up
• cut up rough
• deep cut
• director's cut
• emerald cut
• fish or cut bait
• give/cut (someone) some slack
• have one's legs/feet/knees cut out from under (one)
• have one's work cut out for one
• jump cut
• like a chicken with its head cut off
• low-cut
• make the cut
• pixie cut
• power cut
• pre-cut
• rose cut
• rough cut
• running around like a chicken with its head cut off
• so thick you could cut it with a knife
• you could cut it with a knife

Rhymes for cut

• but
• butt
• glut
• gut
• hut
• jut
• mutt
• nut
• putt
• rut
• shut
• smut

Kids Definition

cut

1 of 2 verb

ˈkət 

cut; cutting

1

a

: to penetrate or divide with or as if with an edged tool (as a knife)

cut my finger

cutting and pasting colored paper

cut the pie

b

: to function as an edged tool

be careful—that glass will cut

this old knife won't cut anymore

c

: to be able to be cut

cheese cuts easily

d

: to harm (oneself) by making cuts or scratches on one's body

2

: to experience the growth of through the gum

the baby is cutting teeth

3

: to hurt the feelings of

the remark cut me

4

a

: trim entry 1 sense 3a

cut your hair

b

: mow entry 2 sense 1

cut the grass

c

: dissolve sense 2

a detergent cuts grease

5

: to make smaller

cut costs

6

: to remove with or as if with a knife

cut a piece of ham

cut two players from the team

7

: to remove (something) from a computer document in such a way that it can be moved to another part of the document or to another document

8

a

: to go straight rather than around

cut across the backyard

b

: intersect sense 1, cross

lines cutting other lines

c

: to make a quick change of direction

go out 10 steps, then cut right and I'll throw you a pass

the camera cuts to the crowd in the street

9

: to divide a deck of cards

10

: to cause to stop

cut the nonsense

cut the engine

11

: snub entry 1 sense 2

cut a former friend

12

: to fail to attend

cut a class

13

a

: to make or shape with or as if with an edged tool

farmers cut clearings out of the wilderness

cut a diamond

b

: to record sounds on

cut a record

14

: to give the appearance of

cuts a fine figure

15

: to advance by skipping or going around another

cut to the front of the line

cut

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: something cut or cut off

a cut of beef

b

: share entry 1 sense 1

your cut of the winnings

2

a

: a product of cutting

b

: a wound made by something sharp

c

: a passage made by cutting

a railroad cut

d

: a grade or step especially in a social scale

a cut above the ordinary

e

: a pictorial illustration

3

a

: an act or instance of cutting

b

: something done or said that hurts the feelings

an unkind cut

c

: an act of removing a part

a cut in pay

d

: an act or turn of cutting cards

it's your cut

4

: a voluntary absence from a class

5

: a swing by a batter at the ball

took a good cut

6

a

: a sudden switch from one sound or image to another in movies, radio, or television

b

: an edited version of a film

7

: the shape and style in which a thing is cut, formed, or made

clothes of the latest cut

8

: the act of reducing the size of a group (as of competitors) by removing the less skillful

played well and made the cut

9

: a recorded song

Medical Definition

cut

1 of 2 verb

ˈkət 

cut; cutting

transitive verb

1

a

: to penetrate with or as if with an edged instrument

b

: to cut or operate on in surgery: as

(1)

: to subject (a domestic animal) to castration

(2)

: to perform lithotomy on

c

: to experience the emergence of (a tooth) through the gum

2

: to subject to trimming or paring

cut one's nails

intransitive verb

1

: to function as or in the manner of an edged tool

a knife that cuts well

2

: to cut in surgery : operate

cut

2 of 2 noun

1

: a product of cutting: as

a

: an opening made with an edged instrument

b

: a wound made by something sharp

2

: a stroke or blow with the edge of a sharp implement (as a knife)