subs. (common).—1. A stage or degree.
1835. DICKENS, Sketches by Boz, p. 183. It looked so knowing, with the front garden, and the green railings, and the brass knocker, and all that—I really thought it was a CUT above me.
1843. DICKENS, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. iv., p. 29. Any other man in the wide world, I am equal to; but Sylme is, I frankly confess, a great many CUTS above me.
1851. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, vol. II., p. 123. He’s a CUT above me a precious sight.
2. (popular).—A refusal to acknowledge acquaintance, or to associate, with another person.—See verbal sense. A CUT DIRECT or DEAD CUT is a conspicuous non-acknowledgment of an acquaintance.
1821. P. EGAN, Tom and Jerry [ed. 1890], p. 55. His acquaintances were numerous, but they seldom lasted longer than a few days, when he made no hesitation in giving them the CUT-DIRECT.
1836. MARRYAT, Japhet, ch. lii. He was a noted duellist, had killed his three or four men, and a CUT DIRECT from any person was, with him, sufficient ground for sending a friend.
3. (theatrical).—Mutilation of the ‘book’ of a play, opera, etc.
1779. SHERIDAN, The Critic, Act ii., Sc. 2. Puff [speaking of the mutilation of his play]. Hey, what the plague!—what a CUT is here!
1883. The Saturday Review, 21 April, p. 501, col. 2. Mr. Mackenzie had not only modified the energy of the orchestra, but had shortened the opera by some judicious CUTS.
4. (general).—A snub or set-down. Cf., sense 2.
1876. C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 143. One of the greatest ‘CUTS’ I ever knew was once when a man was speaking of Chris. Newman and saying what a good sort he was, upon which the other said, ‘What do you mean by saying that? Why, d—— me, sir, he never called for a bottle of champagne in his life!’
Adj. (old).—Tipsy; ON THE CUT = on the spree. For synonyms, see SCREWED.
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.). CUT (A.) … also an epithet applied to one who is drunk, as, He is deeply CUT, that is, he is so drunk, that he can neither stand nor go.
1830. P. EGAN, Finish to Life in London, p. 214. Terry was terribly CUT.
1848. THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, ch. xli. ‘I was so CUT last night, old boy!’ Hopkins says to Tomkins (with amiable confidence).
1859. Punch, vol. XXXVII., p. 23.
| Our friend prone to vices you never may see, | |
| Though he goes on the Loose, or the CUT, or the Spree. |
Verb (old).—1. To talk.
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors (1814), p. 66.
| TO CUTTE, to say. | |
| TO CUT BENLE, to speake gentle. | |
| TO CUT BENE WHYDDS, to speake or give good words. | |
| TO CUTTE QUYER WHYDDES, to geue euil words or evil language. |
1622. HEAD and KIRKMAN, The English Rogue. This Doxie Dell can CUT BIEN WHIDS, and drill well for a win.
1815. SCOTT, Guy Mannering, ch. xxviii. Meg’s true-bred; she’s the last in the gang that will start—but she has some queer ways, and often CUTS queer words.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, p. 230 (ed. 1864). Here I am, pal Peter; and here are my two chums, Rust and Wilder. CUT the whid.
1849. THACKERAY, Pendennis, ch. ix. The infatuated young man went on CUTTING his jokes at the Admiral’s expense, fancying that all the world was laughing with him.
2. (colloquial).—To disown, ignore, or avoid associating with, a person. Sometimes to CUT DEAD.—See CUT, subs., sense 2. An article in the Monthly Magazine for 1798 [Sept., p. 171] cites CUT as a current peculiarity of expression, and says that some had tried to change it into ‘spear,’ but had failed.
1634. S. ROWLEY, The Noble Souldier, Act ii., Sc. 1.
| Why shud a Souldier, being the world’s right arme, | |
| Be CUT thus by the left, a Courtier? |
1794. Gentleman’s Magazine, p. 1085. I no sooner learned he was at toe ‘Black Bull’ than I determined to CUT the old codger completely.
1811. AUSTEN, Sense and Sensibility, ch. xliv. That he had CUT me ever since my marriage, I had seen without surprise or resentment.
1855. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, ch. xli. ‘You are angry with her because she CUT you,’ growls Clive. ‘You know you said she CUT you, or forgot you; and your vanity’s wounded.’
1864. G. A. LAWRENCE, Guy Livingstone, ch. viii. It was only a slight satisfaction to hear that she has utterly lost sight of my rival, and promises to CUT him DEAD the first time they meet.
1870. Daily News, 26 May, ‘Leader.’ The old Greeks dedicated an altar to the Unknown God, for fear of CUTTING some jealous but obscure deity through ignorance of his existence and attributes.
Also as verbal substantive, CUTTING.
1840. CATHERINE GORE, The Dowager, ch. xiii. [On the Continent] every person’s place in Society is so definite … that except in cases of some enormous breach of propriety, no person, once established can ever be expelled. Unless for cogent reasons, he could not have been there at all … There is no talk of ‘CUTTING.’ Such an outrage would reflect on the perpetrator rather than on the person ‘cut.’ All the vulgar caprices consequent on a shifting state of society are unknown.
3. (general).—Also TO CUT AND RUN, CUT IT, CUT ONE’S LUCKY, CUT ONE’S STICK, CUT OFF, CUT AWAY, etc. To depart more or less hurriedly and perforce. [Originally nautical—to CUT the cable AND RUN before the wind.] CUT OVER and CUT AWAY formerly bore precisely the same meanings. For synonyms, see AMPUTATE and SKEDADDLE.
1570. W. LAMBARDE, A Perambulation of Kent. Let me CUTTE OUER to Watlingstreete.
1593. NASHE, Counter-cuffe to Martin Junior, in wks., vol. I., p. 79. He came latelie ouer-sea into Kent, fro thence he CUT OUER into Essex at Grauesende.
1678. COTTON, Scarronides, bk. IV., p. 86 (ed. 1725).
| Put on the Wings that use to bear ye, | |
| And CUT AWAY to Carthage quickly. |
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 51. Explain the philosophical meaning of the sentence. ‘He CUT AWAY from the crushers as quick as a flash of lightning thro’ a gooseberry bush.’
1857. DICKENS, Little Dorrit, bk. I., ch. xxxi., p. 238. ‘I see precious well,’ said Mr. Tip, rising, ‘that I shall get no sensible or fair argument here to-night, and so the best thing I can do is to CUT.’
1888. HAGGARD, Mr. Meeson’s Will [in Illustrated London News, Summer Number], p. 2, col. 3. Off you go! and mind you don’t set foot in Pompadour Hall, Mr. Meeson’s seat, unless it is to get your clothes. Come, CUT.
4. (trade).—To compete in business; to under-sell. A CUTTING trade is one where profits are reduced to a minimum. Also CUT UNDER.
1874. H. MAYHEW, London Characters, p. 469. All agreed in referring their misery to the spirit of competition on the part of the masters—the same universal desire to CUT UNDER.
1883. L. OLIPHANT, Altiora Peto, II., xxiii., 78. So we dissolved partnership, and I went in with another chap, to work on some kind of principle, but Ned was all the time CUTTING UNDER us by bringing out some new contrivance—he’s great on electricity, Ned is.
5. (common).—To excel.—See quot., 1853. Also CUT OUT (q.v.).
1853. WHYTE-MELVILLE, Digby Grand, ch. viii. There have been instances of the weaker sex … CUTTING DOWN, from sheer nerve and determination, the bearded sons of Nimrod themselves.
1884. Referee, 13 April, p. 1, col. 4. George’s performance in the ten miles handicap at Stamford Bridge on Monday—51 min. 20 sec.—is hardly likely to be disturbed for a long time to come, unless he CUTS himself.
6. (theatrical).—To strike out portions of a dramatic production, so as to shorten for representation. Cf., subs., sense 3.
7. (university).—To avoid; to absent oneself from. Thus, TO CUT LECTURE, TO CUT CHAPEL, TO CUT HALL, TO CUT GATES are common phrases.
1794. Gentleman’s Magazine, Dec., s.v.
1889. C. WHIBLEY, ed. In Cap and Gown, s.v.
