The meaning of Cutting

noun

A tool used for chopping wood, typically of iron with a steel edge and wooden handle.

Usage examples:

I started swinging the axe at the lumps of driftwood

verb

End, cancel, or dismiss suddenly and ruthlessly.

Usage examples:

The company is axing 125 jobs

noun

A person who cuts men's hair and shaves or trims beards as an occupation.

Usage examples:

He had his hair cut at the local barber's

verb

Cut or trim (a man's hair).

Usage examples:

His hair was neatly barbered

noun

A person whose job is cutting hair, esp. of men and boys

verb

Divide into two parts.

Usage examples:

A landscape of ploughland bisected by long straight roads

verb

To divide into two usually equal parts

Usage examples:

The new road would bisect a designated historic district., the bisector of an angle/segment

noun

A small piece, part, or quantity of something.

Usage examples:

Give the duck a bit of bread

verb

Past of bite.

verb

Put a bit into the mouth of (a horse).

Usage examples:

However, they can experience behavioral problems when ridden, many coming back to bad experiences w…

verb

Make a quick, short movement up and down.

Usage examples:

I could see his head bobbing about

noun

A quick, short movement up and down.

Usage examples:

She could only manage a slight bob of her head

verb

Cut (someone's hair) in a bob.

Usage examples:

She'd had her hair bobbed and highlighted

verb

Cut (a hard material) in order to produce an object, design, or inscription.

Usage examples:

The wood was carved with runes

verb

To make something by cutting into esp. wood or stone, or to cut into the surface of stone, wood, etc.

Usage examples:

[ t ] this totem pole is carved from a single tree trunk., [ i/t ] would you like me to carve (the …

verb

Cut (something) into pieces with repeated sharp blows of an axe or knife.

Usage examples:

They chopped up the pulpit for firewood

noun

A downward cutting blow or movement, typically with the hand.

Usage examples:

An effective chop to the back of the neck

noun

A trademark; a brand of goods.

noun

A flexible or spring-loaded device for holding an object or objects together or in place.

Usage examples:

He undid two clips and lifted the lid

verb

Fasten or be fastened with a clip or clips.

Usage examples:

She clipped on a pair of diamond earrings

noun

An act of clipping or trimming something.

Usage examples:

I gave him a full clip

noun

A cultivated plant that is grown on a large scale commercially, especially a cereal, fruit, or vegetable.

Usage examples:

The main crops were oats and barley

verb

Cut (something, especially a person's hair) very short.

Usage examples:

She cropped her long golden hair

verb

Short for riding crop or hunting crop.

noun

A mark, object, or figure formed by two short intersecting lines or pieces (+ or ×).

Usage examples:

Place a cross against the preferred choice

verb

Go or extend across or to the other side of (an area, stretch of water, etc.).

Usage examples:

She has crossed the atlantic twice

adjective

Annoyed.

Usage examples:

He seemed to be very cross about something

noun

A symmetrical three-dimensional shape, either solid or hollow, contained by six equal squares.

Usage examples:

What is the surface area of a 2 cm cube?

verb

Raise (a number or value) to its cube.

Usage examples:

Cube the deviations from the mean

noun

A solid object with six square sides of equal size

Usage examples:

The cube of 2 (= 2 x 2 x 2) is 8.

verb

Make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.

Usage examples:

The population of the area has decreased radically

noun

An instance or example of becoming smaller or fewer.

Usage examples:

A decrease in births

verb

To become smaller or make something less

Usage examples:

[ i ] car sales decreased sharply this year., i haven’t noticed any decrease in ticket sales.

verb

(of two or more things) cross or intersect each other to form an x.

Usage examples:

The fibres decussate in the collar

adjective

Shaped like an x.

Usage examples:

This is much simpler than those reproductive organs of living gnetales with a cone-like inflorescen…

noun

A small cube with each side having a different number of spots on it, ranging from one to six, thrown and used in gambling and other games involving chance.

Usage examples:

Gauss's guess was based on throwing a dice with one side marked ‘prime’ and the others all blank.

verb

Play or gamble with dice.

Usage examples:

Prohibitions on all dancing and dicing

plural noun

Two small cubes (= square, box-shaped solids) that are the same, each with a different number of spots on each of its six sides, used in games

Usage examples:

Peel and dice the carrots.

verb

Make or become less.

Usage examples:

The new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size or importance

Usage examples:

[ i ] the threat of inflation is diminishing., [ t ] a single-payer system would diminish the burea…

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value

Usage examples:

If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods., investors can d…

verb

Cease from doing or providing (something), especially something that has been provided on a regular basis.

Usage examples:

The ferry service was discontinued by the proprietors

noun

A deduction from the usual cost of something.

Usage examples:

Rail commuters get a discount on season tickets

verb

Deduct an amount from (the usual price of something).

Usage examples:

A product may carry a price which cannot easily be discounted

verb

Separate or be separated into parts.

Usage examples:

Consumer magazines can be divided into a number of categories

noun

A difference or disagreement between two groups, typically producing tension.

Usage examples:

There was still a profound cultural divide between the parties

verb

To separate into parts or groups, or to cause something to separate in such a way

Usage examples:

[ t ] divide the cake into six equal parts., [ i ] the votes divided equally for and against the pr…

noun

An enclosed area of water in a port for the loading, unloading, and repair of ships.

Usage examples:

The boat nosed up to a dock

verb

(of a ship) come into a dock and tie up at a wharf.

Usage examples:

The ship docked at southampton

noun

The solid bony or fleshy part of an animal's tail, excluding the hair.

Usage examples:

Jason grabbed the towels and spread them at the dog's tail and dock.

verb

Make (something) smaller.

Usage examples:

I downsized the rear wheel to 26 inches

verb

(of a company) to reduce the number of employees, usually as part of a larger change in the structure of an organization

Usage examples:

The company was forced to downsize in order to remain competitive.

verb

To make a company or organization smaller by reducing the number of people working for it

Usage examples:

The plight of the economy is forcing businesses to downsize., to downsize your workforce/company, a…

noun

A final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity, or a story.

Usage examples:

The end of the year

verb

Come or bring to a final point; finish.

Usage examples:

When the war ended, policy changed

suffix

Denoting a person or thing to be treated in a specified way.

Usage examples:

Dividend

noun

A small part broken off or separated from something.

Usage examples:

Small fragments of pottery

verb

Break or cause to break into fragments.

Usage examples:

Lough erne fragmented into a series of lakes

noun

A small piece or part, esp. one that is broken off of something

Usage examples:

A bone fragment, a fragment of indian pottery, she read a fragment of the story.

noun

A long, deep cut or wound.

Usage examples:

A bad gash in one leg became infected

verb

Make a long, deep cut in.

Usage examples:

The jagged edges gashed their fingers

noun

Rubbish or waste.

Usage examples:

The gash bucket

idiom

To intentionally ignore someone or treat someone in an unfriendly way

Usage examples:

I thought she really liked me, but the next day she gave me the cold shoulder.

verb

(of cattle, sheep, etc.) eat grass in a field.

Usage examples:

Cattle graze on the open meadows

noun

A slight injury where the skin is scraped.

Usage examples:

Cuts and grazes on the skin

verb

To touch and rub against something while passing it, causing slight damage

Usage examples:

The bullet only grazed his leg., [ i ] cows grazed in the field.

noun

A dish of cooked meat cut into small pieces and cooked again, usually with potatoes.

Usage examples:

Make a hash by frying up all the leftover roast potatoes and parsnips, adding some chopped turkey a…

verb

Make (meat or other food) into a hash.

Usage examples:

In gower they are added to hashed meat, made into pies with apples, and put into soup.

noun

Short for hashish.

verb

Refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.

Usage examples:

He ignored her outraged question

verb

Refuse to acknowledge

verb

To give no attention to something or someone

Usage examples:

They ignored our warnings., the mayor ignored the hecklers and went on with her speech.

verb

Mark or decorate (an object or surface) with a cut or cuts.

Usage examples:

A button incised with a skull

verb

To cut the surface of something carefully with a sharp tool

Usage examples:

The design is incised into a metal plate., a shield incised with celtic symbols

verb

Do physical harm or damage to (someone).

Usage examples:

The explosion injured several people

verb

Cause bodily harm to

verb

Stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process).

Usage examples:

The buzzer interrupted his thoughts

verb

To stop someone from speaking by saying or doing something, or to cause an activity or event to stop briefly

Usage examples:

[ i ] please don’t interrupt until i’m finished., [ t ] the picnic was interrupted by a rain shower…

verb

Divide (something) by passing or lying across it.

Usage examples:

The area is intersected only by minor roads

verb

To meet and go through or across

Usage examples:

[ t ] weaver street intersects palmer avenue at the next corner.

verb

If two things intersect, they come together and have an effect on each other

Usage examples:

Intersect with sth we need to pinpoint the place where maximum achievable conservation intersects w…

verb

Link; connect.

Usage examples:

The tap was joined to a pipe

noun

A place or line where two or more things are connected or fastened together.

Usage examples:

It was soldered so well that you couldn't see the join

verb

Tear or make deep cuts in (flesh or skin).

Usage examples:

The point had lacerated his neck

verb

To cut or tear something, esp. flesh

Usage examples:

His face and hands were lacerated by the flying glass., [ c ] justina was treated for a scalp lacer…

noun

A long weapon with a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, formerly used by a horseman in charging.

Usage examples:

The warriors bore lances tipped with iron or steel

verb

Prick or cut open (an abscess or boil) with a lancet or other sharp instrument.

Usage examples:

Abscesses should not be lanced until there is a soft spot in the centre

noun

A long, thin pole with a sharp point that soldiers used in the past as a weapon when riding horses

Usage examples:

She had a boil lanced at the doctor's this morning.

verb

Make or become less; diminish.

Usage examples:

The years have lessened the gap in age between us

verb

To become or make something smaller in amount or degree

Usage examples:

[ t ] keeping your weight down can lessen the risk of heart disease.

verb

To make something smaller, less noticeable, etc., or to become smaller, less noticeable, etc.

Usage examples:

Corporate executives are keen to embrace "green technology" in order to lessen their dependence on …

verb

Cut off (a branch, limb, or twig) from the main body of a tree.

Usage examples:

They lopped off more branches to save the tree

noun

Branches and twigs lopped off trees.

Usage examples:

In many forests they took the lop and top, and in some cases the stump, of trees

verb

Hang loosely or limply; droop.

Usage examples:

A stomach that lopped over his belt

adjective

Less high in position.

Usage examples:

The lower levels of the building

adverb

Denoting an older (and hence usually deeper) part of a stratigraphic division or archaeological deposit or the period in which it was formed or deposited.

Usage examples:

Lower cretaceous

verb

Move (someone or something) in a downward direction.

Usage examples:

He watched the coffin being lowered into the ground

verb

Arrange or happen to come into the presence or company of (someone).

Usage examples:

A week later i met him in the street

noun

A gathering of riders and hounds before a hunt begins.

Usage examples:

She fell from her horse during a weekend meet

adjective

Suitable or proper.

Usage examples:

It was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour

verb

Cut up or grind (food, especially meat) into very small pieces, typically in a machine with revolving blades.

Usage examples:

Use a food processor to mince the lamb

noun

Minced meat, especially beef.

Usage examples:

Stir in the mince and fry until browned

verb

To cut food into very small pieces

Usage examples:

Mince the onion and sauté it in butter., minced garlic/onions/parsley

verb

Cut down (grass) with a machine.

Usage examples:

Mow the lawn a day or two before you go, so it stays looking tidy while you are away

noun

A stack of hay, corn, or other crop.

Usage examples:

A hay mow

noun

A small cut or notch.

Usage examples:

A small nick on his wrist

verb

Make a nick or nicks in.

Usage examples:

He had nicked himself while shaving

verb

Go quickly or surreptitiously.

Usage examples:

They nicked across the road

noun

An indentation or incision on an edge or surface.

Usage examples:

There was a notch in the end of the arrow for the bowstring

verb

Make notches in.

Usage examples:

He notched the stick at each end

noun

A v-shaped cut in a hard surface

Usage examples:

The stick has two notches, one at each end.

verb

Exclude from a society or group.

Usage examples:

She was declared a witch and ostracized by the villagers

verb

To prevent someone from being part of a group because you dislike the person or disapprove of something the person has done

Usage examples:

She was ostracized by fellow officers after bringing charges against her partner., those who refuse…

verb

Trim (something) by cutting away its outer edges.

Usage examples:

Carlo pared his thumbnails with his knife

noun

An amount or section which, when combined with others, makes up the whole of something.

Usage examples:

Divide the circle into three equal parts

verb

(of two things) move away from each other.

Usage examples:

His lips parted in a smile

adverb

To some extent; partly (often used to contrast different parts of something).

Usage examples:

The city is now part slum, part consumer paradise

verb

Go into or through (something), especially with force or effort.

Usage examples:

The shrapnel had penetrated his head

verb

Pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

verb

To move into or through something

Usage examples:

[ i ] the drill isn’t sharp enough to penetrate into the rock., [ t ] women have begun to penetrate…

noun

A portion of an object or of material, produced by cutting, tearing, or breaking the whole.

Usage examples:

A piece of cheese

verb

Assemble something from parts or pieces.

Usage examples:

The dinosaur was pieced together from 119 bones

noun

A part of something

Usage examples:

A piece of cake/chicken/pizza, the vase lay on the floor in pieces (= broken into small parts)., sh…

verb

(of a sharp pointed object) go into or through (something).

Usage examples:

A splinter had pierced the skin

verb

To go in or through something, esp. with a pointed object, making a hole

Usage examples:

Pierce the potatoes with a fork to see if they’re done., she got her ears pierced.

noun

The process of voting in an election.

Usage examples:

The country went to the polls on march 10

verb

Record the opinion or vote of.

Usage examples:

Over half of those polled do not believe the prime minister usually tells the truth

verb

Cut off the top and branches of (a tree) to encourage new growth at the top.

Usage examples:

It was the practice of local authorities to pollard these trees on a regular basis

noun

A tree whose top and branches have been pollarded.

Usage examples:

Young trees have grown up between the pollards

verb

To cut the tops of trees back so that the tree then grows a small mass of branches close together

Usage examples:

We have improved street lighting and pollarded the trees., i hate the pollarded trees in london., y…

noun

A plum preserved by drying and having a black, wrinkled appearance.

Usage examples:

However, just as raisins seem different from grapes, so do prunes appear to be distinct from plums.

verb

Trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to encourage growth.

Usage examples:

Now is the time to prune roses

noun

An instance of trimming a tree, shrub, or bush.

Usage examples:

They need little care other than an annual prune

verb

Attempt to explain or justify (behaviour or an attitude) with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.

Usage examples:

She couldn't rationalize her urge to return to the cottage

verb

To create a reason, explanation, or excuse for something

Usage examples:

[ t ] you can rationalize your way out of anything., [ c ] parents are fed up with rationalizations…

verb

To make a company, way of working, etc. more effective, usually by combining or stopping particular activities, or by employing fewer people

Usage examples:

The economic reforms include abolishing export and import licensing, and rationalizing and reducing…

verb

Reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious manner.

Usage examples:

I asked her to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms

noun

An abrupt or ungracious rejection of an offer, request, or friendly gesture.

Usage examples:

His reserve was not intended as a rebuff

verb

To refuse to accept a suggestion, a request for help, or an offer to help, often in an unfriendly way

Usage examples:

Our request for assistance has been rebuffed., boren’s idea took a sharp rebuff.

verb

Make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Usage examples:

The need for businesses to reduce costs

verb

Make smaller

verb

To make something less in size, amount, degree, importance, or price

Usage examples:

A low-fat diet can reduce the risk of heart disease., grunn employs 17,900 people, but that number …

verb

(of an organization or individual) reduce costs or spending in response to economic difficulty.

Usage examples:

As a result of the recession the company retrenched

verb

If governments, companies, etc. retrench, they start spending less money, or reducing costs

Usage examples:

Some large corporate r&d departments have retrenched., it's time to retrench and refocus on our key…

noun

The number of points, goals, runs, etc. achieved in a game or by a team or an individual.

Usage examples:

The final score was 4–3 to royston

verb

Gain (a point, goal, run, etc.) in a competitive game.

Usage examples:

Mccartney scored a fine goal

verb

A number that expresses accomplishment in a game or contest

verb

Score or mark the surface of (something) with a sharp or pointed object.

Usage examples:

The car's paintwork was battered and scratched

noun

A mark or wound made by scratching.

Usage examples:

The scratches on her arm were throbbing

adjective

Assembled or made from whatever is available, and so unlikely to be of the highest quality.

Usage examples:

City were fielding a scratch squad

verb

(of a man) cut the hair off the face with a razor.

Usage examples:

He washed, shaved, and had breakfast

noun

An act of shaving hair from the face or a part of the body.

Usage examples:

You need a shave

verb

Remove body hair with a razor

verb

Cut the wool off (a sheep or other animal).

Usage examples:

Paul has never sheared a sheep before

noun

A strain produced by pressure in the structure of a substance, when its layers are laterally shifted in relation to each other.

Usage examples:

The water from the upper source is emitted at the same speed as the main flow; there is thus no shear

noun

Cut or cut through with scissors

verb

Persistently avoid, ignore, or reject (someone or something) through antipathy or caution.

Usage examples:

He shunned fashionable society

verb

Avoid and stay away from deliberately

verb

To avoid or refuse to accept someone or something

Usage examples:

She shunned publicity after she retired from the stage.

verb

Cut with a wide, sweeping movement, typically using a knife or sword.

Usage examples:

For what felt like hours we climbed behind the trackers slashing the undergrowth ahead

noun

A wide, sweeping stroke made with a knife or sword.

Usage examples:

The man took a mighty slash at his head with a large sword

conjunction

An oblique stroke (/) in print or writing, used between alternatives (e.g. and/or ), in fractions (e.g. 3/4 ), in ratios (e.g. miles/day ), or between separate elements of a text.

Usage examples:

Sentence breaks are highlighted by slashes

verb

Make (a person or a part of their body) appear more slender.

Usage examples:

Longer lengths tend to slenderize and elongate the body

verb

To become thinner or to make something appear thinner

Usage examples:

We manufacture undergarments that tone and slenderize., wearing dark clothes from the waist down wi…

noun

A thin, broad piece of food, such as bread, meat, or cake, cut from a larger portion.

Usage examples:

Four slices of bread

verb

Cut (something, especially food) into slices.

Usage examples:

Slice the onion into rings

noun

A flat, often thin piece of food that has been cut from a larger piece

Usage examples:

A slice of bread/cake/pizza, she demanded a slice of the profits., the drama is a slice of life abo…

noun

A long, narrow cut or opening.

Usage examples:

Make a slit in the stem under a bud

verb

Make a long, narrow cut in.

Usage examples:

Give me the truth or i will slit your throat

verb

Cut a small notch or incision in (something).

Usage examples:

The stem can be carefully snicked to allow the bud to swell

noun

A small notch or cut.

Usage examples:

He had several shaving snicks

verb

In sports, especially cricket, to hit the ball off the edge of the bat

Usage examples:

Carlton snicked the ball low and fast to lynch's right., the umpire couldn't hear the snick and, to…

verb

Cut (something) with scissors or shears, typically with small quick strokes.

Usage examples:

She was snipping a few dead heads off the roses

noun

An act of snipping something.

Usage examples:

He took a snip at a dandelion on the grass

verb

To cut something, usually with a few quick actions using scissors (= cutting device with two blades) or a similar device

Usage examples:

I asked the barber just to snip the ends of my hair.

verb

Rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully.

Usage examples:

He snubbed faculty members and students alike

noun

An act of rebuffing or ignoring someone or something.

Usage examples:

The move was a snub to the government

adjective

(of a person's nose) short and turned up at the end.

Usage examples:

Snub-nosed

verb

Reject with disdain or contempt.

Usage examples:

He spoke gruffly, as if afraid that his invitation would be spurned

noun

An act of spurning.

Usage examples:

It is a spurn of god's sovereignty, and a slight of his goodness

verb

Reject with contempt

verb

(of an event, action, or process) come to an end; cease to happen.

Usage examples:

His laughter stopped as quickly as it had begun

noun

A cessation of movement or operation.

Usage examples:

All business came to a stop

verb

Have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense

verb

Temporarily prevent from continuing or being in force or effect.

Usage examples:

Work on the dam was suspended

verb

Bar temporarily

verb

Make (something) neat or of the required size or form by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts.

Usage examples:

Trim the grass using a sharp mower

noun

Additional decoration, typically along the edges of something and in contrasting colour or material.

Usage examples:

A red blazer with gold trim

adjective

Neat and smart in appearance; in good order.

Usage examples:

His face was freshly shaved, his clothes neat and trim

noun

Small pieces trimmed off something.

Usage examples:

Hedge trimmings

verb

Make (something) neat or of the required size or form by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts.

Usage examples:

Trim the grass using a sharp mower

noun

(a piece of) decorative material added around the edge of something

Usage examples:

I want a plain black cardigan with no fancy trimmings., i wore my red jacket with the black trim., …

noun

An injury to living tissue caused by a cut, blow, or other impact, typically one in which the skin is cut or broken.

Usage examples:

A knife wound

verb

Inflict a wound on.

Usage examples:

The sergeant was seriously wounded

verb

Past and past participle of wind2.