cut off

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA or enPR then please add some!

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

cut off (third-person singular simple present cuts off, present participle cutting off, simple past and past participle cut off)

1. (transitive) To remove by cutting.

   Synonyms: prune, trim

   Hyponym: amputate

2. (transitive) To isolate or remove from contact.
   • 1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, page 37:

     The entranced spectator was cut off from reality as long as the adventure lasted; it was as if he lived a dream yet believed he was awake.

3. (transitive) To stop the provision or supply of something, e.g. power, water.
   • 1962 April, R. K. Evans, “The Acceptance Testing of Diesel Locomotives”, in Modern Railways, page 268:

     The first English Electric units were not fitted with an anti-slip brake, but a hurried consultation of the wiring diagram showed that it should be possible to hold in the low-voltage anti-slip relay for long enough to let speed build up without cutting off the motor current.

4. (transitive) To stop providing funds or something else to (someone).

   His parents cut him off to encourage him to find a job.

   You're drunk, Jerry, I'm cutting you off.

5. (transitive) To end abruptly.

   My phone call was cut off before I could get the information.

6. (transitive) To interrupt (someone speaking).

   That dingbat cut me off as I was about to conclude my thesis.

7. (transitive, Canada, US) To swerve in front of (another car) while driving.

   Synonym: (British, Irish) cut up

8. (transitive) To move so as to block someone else's movement in a direction.

   I ran to the house, but Sally is quicker and cut me off.

9. (transitive, US, regional, Southern US) To turn off or switch off (an electrical device).

   Cut off the lamp so I can get some sleep.

cut off (plural cut offs)

1. Alternative form of cutoff

• “cut off”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

• offcut