cut

Often used with by to specify the amount of reduction ('cut prices by 20%') and to to specify the new level ('cut waiting time to two days'). Commonly appears in business, finance, and planning contexts. Distinguish from reduce: cut often implies a quicker, more decisive reduction.

The particle after cut (off, out, away, from) specifies the relationship between the removed piece and the original object. This sense differs from sense 1 in that the emphasis is on separation of a part, not on dividing the whole into smaller pieces.

Almost always paired with paste in computing contexts. The cut command removes the content from its original location (unlike copy, which leaves it in place). Commonly used with Ctrl+X (Windows) or Command+X (Mac).

Most commonly used in the phrase cut someone out of a will or cut someone off with a symbolic amount. The verb disinherit is the formal legal equivalent but is less frequent in everyday speech. This sense is almost always followed by a prepositional phrase specifying what the person is cut from.

Informal and mainly used in North American English. In British English, skip is more common for this meaning ('skip school'). The object is typically a scheduled learning event such as a class, lesson, lecture, or study session. Not used for events like parties or social gatherings.

Frequently used with an adverb or prepositional phrase that describes how or when the stopping happens (cut off, cut short, cut out). The transitivity depends on whether the thing being stopped is named as an object.

Often used in the phrasal verb forms cut off (separating the speaker from their listener) and cut in (joining a conversation abruptly). Cut someone short is slightly more polite than cut off.

Almost always used in the imperative. Cut it out is the most common fixed phrase. Cut that out refers to a specific action just witnessed. More formal alternatives include 'please stop that' or 'that is enough'.

Typically used in the continuous form (is cutting) and almost exclusively for human babies, though occasionally used for young animals. The older, idiomatic expression 'cutting one's teeth on something' is a separate figurative sense about gaining early experience.

Always followed by a preposition (through, across, or around) that indicates the path taken. The object of the preposition is the area being crossed. This sense is intransitive — the place you are crossing is introduced by the preposition, not as a direct object.

Do not confuse with the figurative idiom cut corners (meaning to do something carelessly to save time or money), which is more common and not limited to driving. In this driving sense, the meaning is literal: the vehicle crosses the centre line of the road.

Commonly followed by a direction word (left, right, across, upward) or an adverb such as sharply or hard. The subject is typically a person, animal, or vehicle that is already in motion.

Also used intransitively in phrases such as 'It is your turn to cut.' In casual card games, the person to the dealer's right usually cuts.

Primarily used in the music industry. The verb 'record' is more general; 'cut' carries an informal, professional tone and is especially common in jazz, rock, and country music contexts.

Commonly paired with the name of the animal (cut of beef / pork / lamb) and the specific part (rib cut / shoulder cut / leg cut). Lean cuts have less fat; prime cuts are the most tender and expensive.

Frequently used for hairstyles (a short cut, a layered cut) and the design or silhouette of clothing (the cut of a dress, the cut of a jacket). When used for clothing, it refers to the way the fabric is shaped rather than the pattern or colour.

Typically used in informal or neutral contexts about financial arrangements. 'Cut' implies a pre-agreed or understood portion. Often followed by 'of' + the total amount. 'Fair cut' is a common fixed expression meaning the amount someone deserves.

Commonly used with 'in' (a cut in taxes / a cut in pay) or 'to' (a cut to the budget / cuts to services). The phrase 'deep cuts' emphasises severe reductions. In business news, 'cut' often appears in compound forms like 'price cut', 'tax cut', or 'rate cut'.

Almost always used in the plural (cuts) when referring to government or organisational budget reductions. Frequently appears in news headlines and political discourse. The preposition 'to' is standard (cuts to services, cuts to funding). 'Spending cuts' and 'budget cuts' are the most common fixed phrases.

Often used in the plural form cuts when referring to multiple removed sections. The person who decides which parts to remove is usually called the editor or director.

Subject is often a type of infrastructure (road, railway, canal). Often modified by a noun that tells you what the passage is for, such as railway cut or road cut.

In golf, a cut is a full swing with the club. In baseball, it refers to a batter's swing at a pitch. The phrase take a cut at something can also be used more generally to mean attempt something.