Cut \Cut\ (k[u^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cut}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Cutting}.] [OE. cutten, kitten, ketten; prob. of Celtic
origin; cf. W. cwtau to shorten, curtail, dock, cwta
bobtailed, cwt tail, skirt, Gael. cutaich to shorten,
curtail, dock, cutach short, docked, cut a bobtail, piece,
Ir. cut a short tail, cutach bobtailed. Cf. {Coot}.]
1. To separate the parts of with, or as with, a sharp
instrument; to make an incision in; to gash; to sever; to
divide.
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You must cut this flesh from off his breast. --Shak.
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Before the whistling winds the vessels fly,
With rapid swiftness cut the liquid way. --Pope.
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2. To sever and cause to fall for the purpose of gathering;
to hew; to mow or reap.
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Thy servants can skill to cut timer. --2. Chron.
ii. 8
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3. To sever and remove by cutting; to cut off; to dock; as,
to cut the hair; to cut the nails.
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4. To castrate or geld; as, to cut a horse.
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5. To form or shape by cutting; to make by incision, hewing,
etc.; to carve; to hew out.
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Why should a man. whose blood is warm within,
Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster? --Shak.
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Loopholes cut through thickest shade. --Milton.
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6. To wound or hurt deeply the sensibilities of; to pierce;
to lacerate; as, sarcasm cuts to the quick.
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The man was cut to the heart. --Addison.
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7. To intersect; to cross; as, one line cuts another at right
angles.
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8. To refuse to recognize; to ignore; as, to cut a person in
the street; to cut one's acquaintance. [Colloq.]
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9. To absent one's self from; as, to cut an appointment, a
recitation. etc. [Colloq.]
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An English tradesman is always solicitous to cut the
shop whenever he can do so with impunity. --Thomas
Hamilton.
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10. (Cricket) To deflect (a bowled ball) to the off, with a
chopping movement of the bat.
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11. (Billiards, etc.) To drive (an object ball) to either
side by hitting it fine on the other side with the cue
ball or another object ball.
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12. (Lawn Tennis, etc.) To strike (a ball) with the racket
inclined or struck across the ball so as to put a certain
spin on the ball.
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13. (Croquet) To drive (a ball) to one side by hitting with
another ball.
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{To cut a caper}. See under {Caper}.
{To cut the cards}, to divide a pack of cards into portions,
in order to determine the deal or the trump, or to change
the cards to be dealt.
{To cut both ways}, to have effects both advantageous and
disadvantageous.
{To cut corners}, to deliberately do an incomplete or
imperfect job in order to save time or money.
{To cut a dash} or {To cut a figure}, to make a display of
oneself; to give a conspicuous impression. [Colloq.]
{To cut down}.
(a) To sever and cause to fall; to fell; to prostrate.
"Timber . . . cut down in the mountains of Cilicia."
--Knolles.
(b) To put down; to abash; to humble. [Obs] "So great is
his natural eloquence, that he cuts down the finest
orator." --Addison
(c) To lessen; to retrench; to curtail; as, to cut down
expenses.
(d) (Naut.) To raze; as, to cut down a frigate into a
sloop.
{To cut the knot} or {To cut the Gordian knot}, to dispose of
a difficulty summarily; to solve it by prompt, arbitrary
action, rather than by skill or patience.
{To cut lots}, to determine lots by cuttings cards; to draw
lots.
{To cut off}.
(a) To sever; to separate.
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I would to God, . . .
The king had cut off my brother's. --Shak.
(b) To put an untimely death; to put an end to; to
destroy. "Iren[ae]us was likewise cut off by
martyrdom." --Addison.
(c) To interrupt; as, to cut off communication; to cut
off (the flow of) steam from (the boiler to) a steam
engine.
(d) To intercept; as,, to cut off an enemy's retreat.
(e) To end; to finish; as, to cut off further debate.
{To cut out}.
(a) To remove by cutting or carving; as, to cut out a
piece from a board.
(b) To shape or form by cutting; as, to cut out a
garment. " A large forest cut out into walks."
--Addison.
(c) To scheme; to contrive; to prepare; as, to cut out
work for another day. "Every man had cut out a place
for himself." --Addison.
(d) To step in and take the place of; to supplant; as, to
cut out a rival. [Colloq.]
(e) To debar. "I am cut out from anything but common
acknowledgments." --Pope.
(f) To seize and carry off (a vessel) from a harbor, or
from under the guns of an enemy.
(g) to separate from the midst of a number; as, to cut
out a steer from a herd; to cut out a car from a
train.
(h) to discontinue; as, to cut out smoking.
{To cut to pieces}.
(a) To cut into pieces; as, to cut cloth to pieces.
(b) To slaughter; as, to cut an army to pieces.
{To cut a play} (Drama), to shorten it by leaving out
passages, to adapt it for the stage.
{To cut rates} (Railroads, etc.), to reduce the charges for
transportation below the rates established between
competing lines.
{To cut short}, to arrest or check abruptly; to bring to a
sudden termination. "Achilles cut him short, and thus
replied." --Dryden.
{To cut stick}, to make off clandestinely or precipitately.
[Slang]
{To cut teeth}, to put forth teeth; to have the teeth pierce
through the gum and appear.
{To have cut ones eyeteeth}, to be sharp and knowing.
[Colloq.]
{To cut ones wisdom teeth}, to come to years of discretion.
{To cut under}, to undersell; as, to cut under a competitor
in trade; more commonly referred to as {undercut}.
{To cut up}.
(a) To cut to pieces; as, to cut up an animal, or bushes.
(b) To damage or destroy; to injure; to wound; as, to cut
up a book or its author by severe criticism. "This
doctrine cuts up all government by the roots."
--Locke.
(c) To afflict; to discourage; to demoralize; as, the
death of his friend cut him up terribly. [Colloq.]
--Thackeray.
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