Word
cut
Phoneticscut
US/ˈkət/
UK/kˈʌt/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
cut
Past
cut
Past participle
cut
Definitions
01to divide with a blade
A1 · Beginner
v. to use a knife, scissors, or another sharp tool to open, divide, or remove something.
v. to penetrate or divide a surface or object using a sharp-edged instrument. Transitive in most physical contexts.
“She used a sharp knife to cut the bread into thick slices.”
“The surgeon carefully cut through the outer layer of tissue to reach the damaged ligament.”
02to reduce
A2 · Elementary
v. to make something smaller in size, amount, or number.
v. to decrease the quantity, size, or intensity of something. Often used in economic or administrative contexts.
Español:recortar
“The company had to cut prices to attract more customers.”
“The government announced plans to cut public spending by ten percent over the next fiscal year.”
03to remove or edit
B1 · Intermediate Computing
v. to take out a part of a story, film, or piece of writing.
v. to remove specific segments from a creative work during the editing process; in computing, to remove data and store it on the clipboard.
“The director decided to cut the final scene because the movie was too long.”
“You can cut the selected text and paste it into a new document to reorganise your notes.”
04to ignore someone
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to pretend you do not see or know someone you meet.
v. to intentionally ignore or snub a person in a social setting. Often implies a deliberate act of social rejection.
“She felt hurt when her former friend cut her at the party.”
“In Victorian society, to cut an acquaintance in public was considered a severe social reprimand.”
Antonyms
05to dilute
C1 · Advanced Slang
v. to mix a substance with something else to make it weaker or cheaper.
v. to adulterate or dilute a substance, typically a drug or liquid, to increase its volume or decrease its potency.
“The juice was cut with water to make it last longer for the kids.”
“Forensic analysis revealed that the illegal substances had been cut with various household powders to increase profit margins.”
Antonyms
06a wound
A2 · Elementary Countable noun Medicine
n. an opening in the skin made by something sharp.
n. an injury involving a narrow opening in the skin or flesh.
“He got a small cut on his finger while peeling the potatoes.”
“The nurse cleaned the deep cut on his arm before applying several stitches to close the wound.”
Synonyms
07a share
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a part of something, like a share of money or profits.
n. a share or percentage of a total amount, typically referring to profits or earnings.
“The agent takes a ten percent cut of everything the actor earns.”
“After the successful heist, each member of the crew demanded their fair cut of the proceeds.”
Synonyms
08a reduction
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a decrease in the amount or level of something.
n. an act of reducing the amount, number, or size of something. Often used in the plural for financial contexts.
“The workers were angry about the proposed cut in their pay.”
“Significant budget cuts have forced the university to cancel several elective courses this semester.”
09style or shape
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the way something is shaped or styled, like hair or clothes.
n. the style or fashion in which a garment or hair is shaped or tailored.
“I really like the cut of that jacket; it fits you perfectly.”
“The tailor explained that the specific cut of the suit was designed to broaden the appearance of the shoulders.”
10muscular
C1 · Advanced Sports Informal
adj. having muscles that are very easy to see because there is little body fat.
adj. possessing highly defined musculature with minimal subcutaneous fat. Common in bodybuilding contexts.
“He spent months in the gym to get cut for the summer.”
“The athlete appeared incredibly cut on stage, with every muscle group clearly visible under the bright lights.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cut” in context.
Verb
01. get a cut
“If we sell the car for a good price, you will get a cut for helping me.”
verb + noun
02. give him his cut
“After the deal was finished, the manager gave him his cut of the money.”
verb + possessive + noun
03. take a cut
“The agent takes a ten percent cut of everything the actor earns.”
verb + noun
04. want a cut of the profits
“The investors want a large cut of the profits from the new restaurant.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
05. big cut
“The website takes a big cut of the sales made by independent artists.”
adj + noun
06. fair cut
“Everyone worked hard on the project, so they all deserved a fair cut.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. cut of the money
“He was promised a small cut of the money if he found a buyer for the house.”
noun + of + noun
Usage
Often takes a possessive pronoun ('my cut', 'their cut') and is followed by 'of' to specify the source ('a cut of the profits').
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. clear cut
02. cut a dash
03. cut a deal
04. cut a figure
05. cut a rug
06. cut a swath
07. cut a wide swath
08. cut about
09. cut above
10. cut and dried
Show all 53
11. cut and thrust
13. cut bait
14. cut below
15. cut both ways
16. cut corners
17. cut down
19. cut down to size
21. cut in
22. cut it
23. cut it out
24. cut loose
25. cut of one's jib
26. cut off one's nose to spite one's face
27. cut one loose
28. cut one's cloth to suit one's purse
29. cut one's coat according to one's cloth
30. cut one's teeth
31. cut out
32. cut red tape
35. cut swathes
36. cut the cheese
37. cut the cord
38. cut the mustard
41. cut through
42. cut to pieces
43. cut to the chase
44. cut up
45. cut up nasty
46. cut up rough
47. death by a thousand paper cuts
48. deep cut
49. final cut
50. fish or cut bait
51. have one's work cut out for one
52. make the cut
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0