ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cut both ways

idiom
Meaning

To have both benefits and drawbacks.


Examples
SIMPLE

Working from home can cut both ways.

CONTEXTUAL

Having a flexible schedule is nice, but it can cut both ways if you struggle to separate work from your personal life.

COMPLEX

The new policy regarding remote work cuts both ways, offering employees greater autonomy while simultaneously complicating the maintenance of a cohesive corporate culture.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    clear cut

    Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.

  2. 02

    cut a dash

    To make a display of oneself; to give a conspicuous impression.

  3. 03

    cut a deal

    To reach a negotiated agreement.

  4. 04

    cut a figure

    To present an image; to make an impression.

  5. 05

    cut a rug

    To dance, especially in a vigorous manner and in one of the dance styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

  6. 06

    cut a swath

    Alternative form of cut a wide swath.

  7. 07

    cut a wide swath

    To behave in an expansive, flagrantly showy, or pushy manner, especially in public venues; to exert sweeping influence.

  8. 08

    cut about

    To go around (move from person to person).

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