cutting

[ kuht-ing ]
See synonyms for cutting on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act of a person or thing that cuts.

  2. something cut, cut off, or cut out.

  1. Horticulture. a piece, as a root, stem, or leaf, cut from a plant and used for propagation.

  2. something made by cutting, as a recording.

  3. a form of repetitive self-injury in which a person deliberately cuts the skin, as to cope with stress or negative emotions.

  4. Manège.

    • the removal of a specific animal from a herd of cattle, as performed by a ranch horse.

    • a competitive exhibition in which horses demonstrate this skill.

  5. Chiefly British. a clipping from a newspaper, magazine, etc.

  6. British. a trenchlike excavation, especially through a hill, as one made in constructing a highway.

adjective
  1. able to cut or slice: a cutting blade.

  2. piercing, as a wind.

  1. wounding the feelings severely; sarcastic.

  2. Manège. relating to or noting a horse bred or trained for the ranching task of separating a specific animal from a herd of cattle, or the competitive exhibition of this skill: Champion cutting horses are bred for agility.The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.

Origin of cutting

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see origin at cut, -ing1, -ing2

Other words for cutting

Other words from cutting

  • cut·ting·ly, adverb
  • cut·ting·ness, noun
  • non·cut·ting, adjective, noun
  • self-cut·ting, adjective

Words Nearby cutting

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cutting in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cutting

cutting

/ (ˈkʌtɪŋ) /


noun
  1. a piece cut off from the main part of something

  2. horticulture

    • a method of vegetative propagation in which a part of a plant, such as a stem or leaf, is induced to form its own roots

    • a part separated for this purpose

  1. Also called (esp US and Canadian): clipping an article, photograph, etc, cut from a newspaper or other publication

  2. the editing process by which a film is cut and made

  3. an excavation in a piece of high land for a road, railway, etc, enabling it to remain at approximately the same level

  4. Irish informal sharp-wittedness: there is no cutting in him

  5. (modifier) designed for or adapted to cutting; edged; sharp: a cutting tool

adjective
  1. keen; piercing: a cutting wind

  2. tending to hurt the feelings: a cutting remark

Derived forms of cutting

  • cuttingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012