General
cutter
What does cutter mean?
A filled salt-bread bun, classically with fried flying fish, ham or cheese. A Barbadian lunch staple.
"Grab me a fish cutter from the rum shop."
Origin
Used by Burgess in A Clockwork Orange (1962). Its origin is uncertain and debated: it is often tied to rhyming slang 'bread and butter' (money) rather than Russian, illustrating Burgess's mixing of Cockney elements into Nadsat. Treat the precise derivation as unsettled.
Frequently asked questions
What does cutter mean in Nadsat?
It means money or cash, one of Nadsat's non-Russian terms.
Where does cutter come from?
The exact source is uncertain; it is often linked to rhyming slang 'bread and butter' rather than Russian.
Is all of Nadsat from Russian?
No. The core is Russian, but Burgess blended in Cockney and rhyming slang, and cutter is an example.
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