cut
kuht
Cut (verb) means to divide or open something using a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors. Example: “She cut the cake into eight equal slices.”
verb
1
To divide or open something using a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors.
"She cut the cake into eight equal slices."
"He cut his finger while chopping vegetables."
"Use sharp scissors to cut the ribbon into short lengths."
2
To reduce or remove part of something.
"The company had to cut costs after a slow quarter."
"They cut the movie's runtime by twenty minutes."
"The council decided to cut the number of buses running late at night."
noun
1
A wound or opening made by something sharp.
"He bandaged the cut on his hand."
"The cut on her knee stopped bleeding after a few minutes."
"Wash any cut with clean water before you cover it."
2
A reduction, especially in pay, budget, or size.
"Staff faced a 10% pay cut this year."
"The school announced a cut in the money it spends on trips."
"A small cut in the length of the speech made it far better."
3
A particular piece of meat, or a specific edit/version of a film or recording.
"The butcher recommended a cheaper cut for stewing."
"The director's cut runs much longer than the theatrical release."
"The shop sells a lean cut of beef that is perfect for roasting."
adj
1
Having visibly defined muscles.
"After months of training, he looked noticeably more cut."
"The dancers were so cut that you could see every muscle in their arms."
"He wants to get cut before his holiday on the beach."
How to use cut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo slice, divide, reduce, or remove — an extremely common verb with many specific uses (film editing, budgets, meat, muscle tone, etc.).
Common mistake
Past tense and past participle are both "cut" (not "cutted").
Common pairings
cut costs
cut in half
a deep cut
director's cut
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Word forms
- Plural
- cuts
- Third person singular
- cuts
- Past tense
- cutted, cutten
- Comparative
- more cut
- Superlative
- most cut
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ the cake into eight equal slices.
Etymology
From Middle English cutten, likely of North Germanic origin, related to Old Norse words for cutting or carving with a knife.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “cut” mean?
The word “cut” means to divide or open something using a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors. In plain terms, to slice, divide, reduce, or remove — an extremely common verb with many specific uses (film editing, budgets, meat, muscle tone, etc.).
How do you pronounce “cut”?
“Cut” is pronounced kuht (/kʌt/ in IPA).
How do you use “cut” in a sentence?
Here is “cut” used in a sentence: “She cut the cake into eight equal slices.”
What is another word for “cut”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cut” include carve, chive, incide, incise, lacerate and race.
What part of speech is “cut”?
Depending on how it is used, “cut” can be a verb, a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “cut” come from?
The word “cut” comes from Middle English. From Middle English cutten, likely of North Germanic origin, related to Old Norse words for cutting or carving with a knife.
Is “cut” a common word?
“Cut” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “cut” have?
“Cut” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to divide or open something using a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors.
What is the difference between cut and slice?
Cutting is the general act of dividing or opening something with a sharp edge. Slicing is a specific kind of cutting: making thin, usually flat, even pieces, as with bread or vegetables. Every slice is a cut, but not every cut produces a neat slice.
What is the past tense of cut?
'Cut' is an irregular verb that does not change form: the present, past, and past participle are all 'cut.' You say 'I cut the rope today' and 'I cut the rope yesterday,' never 'cutted.' Only the continuous form, 'cutting,' adds letters to the base word.
What are the different meanings of cut?
Beyond dividing something with a blade, 'cut' can mean to reduce, as in cutting prices or costs; to edit or remove, as in cutting a scene from a film; or to stop, as in 'cut the engine.' Context usually makes the intended sense clear.
What is an example of cut used in a sentence?
In its core sense it describes using a sharp tool: 'She cut the paper with scissors,' or 'He cut a slice of cake with a knife.' The object being divided follows the verb, and the tool used is often named afterwards with the word 'with.'
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