cutback
/ˈkʌtbæk/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈʌtbˌæk] /ˈkʌtbæk/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈʌtbˌæk] /ˈkət-ˌbak/ (ame, mw)
cutback — 名詞
- cutbacksingular
- cutbacksplural
1. a reduction in spending on a department, service, or project, made to save money
裁減；削減
為省錢而減少開支或人數
a reduction in spending on a department, service, or project, made to save money when the budget is limited
The closure of the Manchester printing factory is the company's biggest single cutback so far.
關閉曼徹斯特印刷廠是該公司到目前為止規模最大的一次性裁員。
The school board announced cutbacks in sports programs after the budget proposal failed.
預算提案未通過後，學校董事會宣布削減體育項目的經費。
cutbacks in + [specific area]
Sirin worried that the research cutbacks would delay her cancer study by at least a year.
Sirin 擔心研究經費的削減會讓她的癌症研究延誤至少一年。
Ravindra's team faced a hiring cutback that left three engineering positions unfilled.
Ravindra 的團隊面臨招聘裁減，導致三個工程職位懸缺無人填補。
- reduction
broader — any decrease, not necessarily to save money
- cut
more direct and informal; often used interchangeably with cutback
- downsizing
specifically refers to reducing the size of a workforce or company
文法句型
cutback(s) + in + [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Most commonly appears in plural form (cutbacks) when referring to broad reductions across an organisation or sector. The singular form is often preceded by a modifier (budget cutback, staff cutback, spending cutback).
常見錯誤
2. an American football play where the ball carrier changes direction suddenly to r
急轉變向
美式足球中持球員突然改變方向
an American football play where the ball carrier changes direction suddenly to run into open space away from the main action
The runner found open space for a cutback up the middle of the field and gained 12 yards.
持球員在中路找到空檔急轉變向，一舉推進十二碼。
The running back faked a run to the left, then made a cutback to the right into open space.
跑鋒先假裝向左跑，接著急轉變向往右衝入空檔。
Coach Felix praised the running back for a sharp cutback that caught the defence completely off guard.
Felix 教練稱讚跑鋒一次漂亮的急轉變向，完全騙過了防守方。
Daichi practised his cutback move until he could change direction without losing any speed.
Daichi 反覆練習急轉變向的動作，直到他能在不減速的情況下改變方向。
文法句型
make a cutback
cutback + prepositional phrase (to/up/around)
用法筆記
This sense is specific to American football and is rarely used outside sports commentary. The noun is often modified by location phrases (cutback to the outside, cutback up the middle).
cutback — 動詞
- cutbackpresent simple I / you / we / they
- cutbacks3rd person singular
- cutbacking-ing form
- cutbackedpast simple
1. to make a plant, bush, or tree shorter or tidier by cutting off parts of its ste
修剪
剪短植物的枝葉以促進生長
to make a plant, bush, or tree shorter or tidier by cutting off parts of its stems or branches, usually to encourage new growth
Greta cut back the rose bushes before the first winter frost arrived.
Greta 在第一波冬霜來臨前修剪了玫瑰叢。
cut back + [plant type] — separable phrasal verb
The gardener cut back the overgrown branches that were blocking the kitchen window.
園丁剪掉了擋住廚房窗戶的過長樹枝。
Ada used sharp shears to cut back the dead stems from the lavender plants.
Ada 用鋒利的園藝剪修剪掉薰衣草植株上的枯莖。
Mert cut back the hedge so the sunlight could reach the vegetables growing below.
Mert 修剪了樹籬，好讓陽光能照到下方生長的蔬菜。
- let grow
allowing the plant to develop freely without cutting
文法句型
cut back + [plant/vegetation]
cut + [plant] + back
用法筆記
The object can split the phrasal verb ('cut the branches back') or follow it ('cut back the branches'). Both orders are common. Passive use is frequent ('The roses were cut back in autumn').
常見錯誤
2. to move from the present moment in a film, television show, or book to an earlie
回溯；倒敍
電影或故事中切換到過去場景
to move from the present moment in a film, television show, or book to an earlier scene or event in the story, usually to give the audience background information
The director cut back to a childhood scene to explain why the character feared water.
導演將畫面回溯到主角的童年場景，藉此解釋她為何怕水。
cut back to + [scene description] — intransitive
In the middle of the chase, the film cuts back to the detective at the police station an hour earlier.
在追逐戲的中段，鏡頭倒敍到一小時前偵探在警局的畫面。
Chidi noticed how the editor cut back to the same image three times to build suspense.
Chidi 注意到剪輯師三次回溯到同一個畫面來營造懸疑感。
The screenwriter decided to cut back to the opening scene so that the ending would make more sense.
編劇決定倒敍回到開場畫面，讓結局更有說服力。
- cut forward
moving the story to a later time rather than an earlier one
文法句型
cut back to + [scene/time period]
用法筆記
Common in film criticism and screenwriting discussions. The subject is typically a director, editor, or the film itself. This sense is distinct from a 'flashback' — 'cutback' implies an editing decision while 'flashback' describes the narrative technique.
3. to reduce how much of something you consume, especially to improve your health,
減少；節約
減少使用某物以改善財務或健康
to reduce how much of something you consume, especially to improve your health, budget, or lifestyle
After the restaurant lost customers, the owner had to cut back on staff hours.
餐廳流失顧客後，老闆不得不減少員工的工作時數。
cut back on + [resource] — intransitive phrasal verb
Lakan cut back on sugar after the doctor warned him about his blood test results.
醫生警告 Lakan 的血液檢查結果後，他便開始減少攝取糖分。
Anna and her husband decided to cut back on eating out to save for a new house.
Anna 和丈夫決定減少外食，以便存錢買新房子。
The city council voted to cut back on street lighting to reduce electricity costs.
市議會投票決定減少路燈照明以降低電費支出。
Felix cut back on coffee and noticed that he slept much better at night.
Felix 減少喝咖啡後，發現晚上的睡眠品質明顯改善了。
- reduce
broader and more formal; does not carry the same informal tone
- scale back
similar meaning, often used for business operations or plans
- curb
implies restraint or control over an unwanted habit
文法句型
cut back on + [something consumed/spent]
用法筆記
This sense always takes the preposition 'on' before the noun or gerund phrase describing what is being reduced. Unlike the transitive verb sense (PRUNE), this usage is intransitive — the thing being reduced is the object of the preposition 'on', not a direct object.