shortˈ-cut intransitive verb

To use a shorter route (also figurative)

adjective and noun

(denoting) tobacco cut in short shreds

shortˈ-dāted adjective

1. (of a bill) having little time to run from its date
2. (of securities) redeemable in under five years

short-day plant noun (botany)

One that will flower only if the daily period of light is shorter than some critical length (cf day-neutral plant, long-day plant)

short division noun

Division without writing down the working out

shortˈfall noun

The fact or amount of falling short

short fuse noun (informal)

A quick temper

short game noun (golf)

Play on and around the green(s)

shortˈgown noun (old Scot)

A woman's short jacket

shortˈhand noun

1. A system of writing in which whole words and phrases are represented by (combinations of) simple strokes, used for recording speech at speaking pace
2. Writing of such a kind

adjective

Relating to or written in shorthand

short-handˈed adjective

1. Short of an adequate number of workers
2. With a small or reduced number on the team, in the crew, etc

shortˈ-haul adjective

Involving transportation, etc, over (relatively) short distances

shortˈ-head transitive verb (informal)

To beat by a short head (see also below)

shortˈhold adjective (law)

In England and Wales, of or being a tenancy of only a few (orig between one and five) years

shortˈhorn noun

Any of the various types of beef and dairy cattle developed from a short-horned breed originating in NE England, usu having a red and white, roan or white coat (also called Durham)

short hundredweight see hundredweight under hundred

short iron noun (golf)

An iron club used to play shots from close to the green

short leg noun (cricket)

A fielder, or a fielding position, very near (and in line with) the batsman on the legside

shortˈ-life adjective

Having a short duration, existence, etc

shortˈlist noun

(see also leet³) a list of the most suitable candidates for an office, post, etc, from which the successful candidate will be selected

transitive verb

To include (someone) in a shortlist

shortˈ-lived (or /-līvd/) adjective

Living or lasting only for a short time

short measure noun

Less than the amount promised or paid for

short metre noun (poetry)

A form of four-line stanza of which the first, second and last lines have six syllables and the third line eight

short odds plural noun

(in betting) a nearly even chance, favourable odds in terms of risk, unfavourable in terms of potential gain

short-oil see oil length under oil

short order noun (N American)

(an order for) food that can be prepared quickly

shortˈ-order adjective

shortˈ-priced adjective

Having short odds

shortˈ-range adjective

Of or relating to a short distance or period of time

short rib noun

A floating rib

short sale noun

A sale of something which the seller does not yet own

short score noun

A musical score with some of the parts omitted

short sea noun (nautical)

One in which the distance between the wave crests is comparatively short

short selling see sell short under sell¹

short sharp shock noun

A brief severe regime imposed by a prison or detention centre, esp on young offenders

short sheep noun

Short-woolled sheep

short shrift see under shrift

short-sightˈed adjective

1. Able to see clearly only those objects that are relatively near, myopic
2. Lacking foresight

short-sightˈedly adverb

short-sightˈedness noun

short-spōˈken adjective

Curt in speech

short-staffedˈ adjective

Having a reduced or inadequate number of staff

short-stāˈple adjective

(of wool, cotton, etc fibre) short

shortˈstop noun (baseball)

The fielding position (or the defending player positioned) between the second and third base

short story noun

A work of prose narrative shorter than a novel and usu concentrating on a single episode or experience and its effect

short subject noun (chiefly US)

A short film shown before the main film in a cinema

shortˈsword noun

A sword with a short blade

short-temˈpered adjective

Easily moved to anger, quick-tempered

short tennis noun

A form of tennis for children, using a smaller court and modified equipment and rules

shortˈ-term adjective

1. Extending over a short time
2. Concerned with the immediate present and future as distinct from time further ahead

short-termˈism noun

(a tendency towards) the adopting of only short-term views, solutions to problems, etc

short-termˈist noun and adjective

short-term memory noun (psychology)

A section of the memory with limited capacity, capable of storing information for a short time only

short time noun

(the condition of) working fewer than the normal number of hours per week

shortˈ-time adjective

short ton see ton¹

shortˈ-track (skating or speedskating) noun

Speedskating in which contestants race in packs around a 111.12-metre track, over any of several distances between 500m and 5000m

short wave noun

A radio wave with a frequency of between 10m and 100m

shortˈ-wave adjective

short-windˈed adjective

Quickly becoming breathless

by a short head

1. By a distance less than the length of a horse's head
2. Narrowly, barely (figurative)

caught short (informal)

Having a sudden, uncontrollable need to urinate or defecate

cut short see under cut

draw the short straw

To be given an unpleasant task, duty, etc, or the most unpleasant of several

fall short see under fall¹

for short

As an abbreviation

go short (informal)

To have an insufficient amount (esp of money or food)

have someone by the short and curlies (vulgar slang)

To have someone over a barrel, at one's mercy, in a position difficult to wriggle out of

in short

In a few words, briefly

in short supply

Not available in desired quantity, scarce

in the short run

Over a brief period of time

make short work of

To settle or dispose of promptly

run short see under run

short and sweet

1. Surprisingly or gratifyingly brief, used eg of a speech expected to be of greater length (and tedium)
2. (ironically) curt or abrupt

short for

A shortened form of

short of

1. Less than
2. Without going so far as
3. Having insufficient supplies of

short on (informal)

Deficient in

stop short

To come to a sudden standstill

taken short same as caught short above.

take (or take up) short

1. To take by surprise or at a disadvantage
2. To interrupt curtly

the short and the long (of it) (Shakespeare)

Same as the long and the short (see under long¹)

cut /kut/

transitive verb (cuttˈing; cut)

1. To penetrate with a sharp edge, make an incision in
2. To cleave or pass through
3. To divide
4. To carve, hew, trim or make or fashion by cutting
5. To sever
6. To reap
7. To excise
8. To intersect, cross
9. To divide (a pack of cards) by lifting the upper portion at random
10. To expose (a card or suit) in this way
11. (in tennis, etc) to strike obliquely, imparting spin to
12. (in golf) to hit (the ball) in such a way that it intentionally moves from left to right in the air (for a right-handed player)
13. To reduce, lessen or abridge
14. To wound, hurt or affect deeply
15. To shorten
16. To interrupt or break
17. To switch off (an engine, lights, etc)
18. To break off acquaintance with
19. To pass intentionally without greeting
20. To renounce, give up
21. To stay away from
22. To castrate
23. To perform or execute (eg a caper)
24. To make (a sound recording, eg a disc)
25. To grow (teeth) through the gums (see also cut one's teeth (on) below)
26. To mix another substance with (an illegal drug) to increase weight and volume (slang)
27. To dilute or adulterate

intransitive verb

1. To make an incision
2. To intersect
3. To strike obliquely
4. To be cut
5. To dash, go quickly
6. To run away, to be off (slang)
7. (in film-making) to cease photographing
8. (of a film) to change rapidly to another scene

noun

1. A cleaving or dividing
2. An excavation for a road, railway, etc
3. A canal
4. A cross-passage
5. A stroke or blow
6. (in tennis, etc) a downward stroke, implying spin
7. (in golf) a shot in which the ball intentionally moves from left to right in the air (for a right-handed player)
8. (in cricket) an attacking stroke to the offside played with a horizontal bat
9. The spin imparted to the ball
10. A reduction or diminution
11. A stoppage, as in power cut
12. An act of unkindness
13. The result of fashioning by cutting, carving, etc (eg clothes, hair, gemstones)
14. The act, or outcome, of cutting a pack of cards
15. An incision or wound
16. An excision
17. A piece cut off
18. Total quantity cut
19. A varying unit of length for cloth and yarn
20. An engraved block or the picture from it
21. Manner of cutting, or fashion
22. The reduction of the field in a golf tournament after a set number of rounds, only those players with the better scores qualifying to play in the final round(s)
23. An individual product obtained during the distillation of petroleum
24. A working horse (archaic)
25. A rake-off or share (slang)
26. A record, extract of a sound recording, etc (slang)
27. (in films) the action of cutting or its result

adjective (slang)

(of a drug) adulterated or diluted

cuttˈer noun

1. A person or thing that cuts
2. A cut-throat (obsolete)
3. A tailor who measures and cuts out the cloth
4. A small vessel with one mast, a mainsail, a forestay-sail, and a jib set to bowsprit-end
5. Any sloop of narrow beam and deep draught
6. A powerful motor-launch (as used by coastguard and navy) which may be armed
7. (in quarrying) a joint parallel to the dip of the rocks
8. A small whisky bottle holding half a mutchkin, shaped for carrying in the hip pocket (Scot)
9. A medium-sized pig carcase, from which joints and fillets are taken

cuttˈing noun

1. A dividing or lopping off
2. An incision
3. A piece cut from a newspaper
4. A piece of a plant cut off for propagation
5. An open excavation for a road, railway, etc
6. Editing of a film or recording

adjective

1. (of a remark, etc) intended to be cruel or hurtful
2. (of wind) cold and penetrating

cuttˈingly adverb

cut-and-thrust see cut and thrust below.

cutˈaway noun

1. A coat with the skirt cut away in a curve in front
2. An angled edge on a door
3. A model or picture showing the interior workings of something, with the overlying parts removed
4. (in films or television) a shot of action that is related to, or happening simultaneously to, the central events

adjective

Having parts cut away

cutˈback noun

1. A going back in a plot to earlier happenings
2. A reduction or decrease, esp in expenditure, workforce, production, etc

cutˈ-down adjective

(used attrib) reduced

cut flowers plural noun

Flowers cut from their plants for display in vases, etc

cut glass noun

Flint glass shaped by cutting or grinding

cutˈglass adjective

1. Made of cut glass
2. (of an accent) upper-class, refined

cutˈ-in noun

1. The act of cutting in
2. (in films) a shot edited into another shot

cutˈ-leaved adjective (botany)

Having leaves deeply cut

cutˈline noun (US)

A caption

cutˈ-off noun

1. That which cuts off or shortens, eg a straighter road, a shorter channel cut across a bend of a river
2. A bend thus cut off
3. A device for shutting off steam, water, light, electricity, supply of cartridges in a magazine rifle, etc
4. The point at which something ceases to operate or apply (also adjective)
5. (in pl) shorts made by cutting off the legs of jeans just above the knee (informal)

cutˈ-out noun

1. The act of cutting out
2. Something which has been cut out
3. A safety device, eg for breaking an electric circuit

cutˈ-over adjective (US)

(of land) having had its timber removed

cut-priceˈ adjective

At a reduced rate

cutˈpurse noun (historical)

1. A person who stole by slitting purses worn at the belt
2. A pickpocket

cut-rateˈ adjective (esp N American)

Cut-price

cutˈ-throat noun

1. An assassin
2. A ruffian
3. A modification of bridge, etc for three players, each playing alone
4. An open razor

adjective

1. Murderous
2. (of competition) extremely tough, relentless
3. (of card games) for three players

cutting edge noun

A part or area (of an organization, branch of study, etc) that breaks new ground, effects change and development, etc (cutting-edgeˈ adjective)

cutting grass noun

A cane rat

cutting list noun (building)

A list giving dimensions of timber required for any given work

cutting room noun (cinematography)

A place where film is cut and edited

cutˈ-up noun (orig US)

1. A person who makes jokes or plays tricks
2. A literary collage, composed of cut-up and rearranged passages of prose or verse (also adjective)

cutˈwater noun

1. The forepart of a ship's prow
2. The angular edge of a bridge pier

cutˈwork noun

Openwork embroidery or appliqué (also adjective)

cutˈworm noun

A caterpillar, esp of the moth genus Agrotis, that feeds on the stems of young plants near ground level

a cut above

Something distinctly better (than)

cut across

1. To go or extend beyond the limits of
2. To take a shorter route across

cut a dash or figure

To have a striking appearance

cut a deal (chiefly N American)

To make a deal

cut along (informal)

To leave, go away quickly

cut and come again

Abundant supply, from the notion of cutting a slice, and returning at will for another

cut and cover

A method of constructing a tunnel by making an open cutting, arching it over, and covering in

cut and dry or cut and dried

1. Ready made
2. Fixed beforehand, decided in advance

cut and paste

1. (in the design of page layouts for newspapers, magazines, etc) a method of arranging areas of text, illustrations, etc by cutting and sticking down with paste
2. (in word processing, DTP, etc) a technique for moving blocks of text, etc

cut and run

To be off or escape quickly

cut and thrust

1. (in fencing) the use of the edges and the point of the weapon
2. Swift, shrewd and cleverly-calculated action or reaction, argument, etc (cut-and-thrustˈ adjective)

cut back

1. To prune close to the stem
2. To revert to a previous scene
3. To reduce (expenditure, etc)

cut both ways

(of a decision, action, situation, etc) to have or result in both advantages and disadvantages

cut corners

1. To turn corners by the quickest way, not keeping close to the edge of the road
2. To do something (eg a piece of work) with the minimum of effort and expenditure and therefore often imperfectly

cut dead

To refuse to recognize or acknowledge (another person)

cut down

1. To bring down by cutting
2. To reduce, curtail
3. To maim or kill

cut down to size

To cause (a person) to feel less important or to be less conceited

cut from the same cloth

Very similar in nature

cut in

1. To interpose
2. (of an electrical device) to begin working automatically
3. To deprive someone of a dancing partner
4. To intercept on the telephone
5. To manoeuvre into a line of traffic in front of an overtaken vehicle, etc, esp without adequate warning or indication
6. To come into a game by cutting a card
7. To give a share

cut it (slang)

To succeed or manage

cut it fine

To take risks by leaving insufficient margin for error

cut it out (informal)

To make an end of it, leave off

cut it too fat

To overdo a thing

cut loose

To break free from constraints

cut no ice see under ice

cut off

1. To sever
2. To isolate
3. To put to an end prematurely
4. To intercept
5. To stop
6. (of an electrical device) to stop working, usu automatically, esp as a safety measure
7. To disinherit

cut off with a shilling

1. To bequeath only a shilling
2. To disinherit

cut one's coat according to one's cloth

To adapt oneself to (esp financial) circumstances

cut one's losses

To have done with an unprofitable venture

cut one's stick

To take one's departure

cut one's teeth (on) (informal)

1. To gain experience (by means of)
2. To practise (on)

cut out

1. To shape
2. To contrive
3. To debar
4. To block (light, etc)
5. To supplant
6. To separate from a herd
7. To pass out of a game on cutting a card
8. To pass out of a line of traffic in order to overtake
9. To capture and carry off (a ship) as from a harbour, etc, by getting between her and the shore
10. (of an engine) suddenly to stop functioning

cut out for

Naturally fitted for

cut short

1. To abridge
2. To make short by cutting
3. To silence by interruption

cut teeth

To have teeth grow through the gums, as an infant

cut to the chase

To get to the point

cut up

1. To cut into pieces
2. To criticize severely
3. To turn out (well or ill) when divided into parts
4. (in passive) to be deeply distressed
5. To make jokes, play tricks or behave in a boisterous manner (N American)
6. To drive recklessly in front of (another vehicle) causing danger to it (slang)

cut up rough

To take something amiss, become difficult or angry

draw cuts (archaic)

To cast lots

make the cut (golf)

To qualify for the final round(s) of a tournament

miss the cut (golf)

To fail to qualify for the final round(s) of a tournament

short cut see under short