cut-in
Americannoun
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Movies. a still, as of a scene or an object, inserted in a film and interrupting the action or continuity.
We will insert a cut-in of the letter as she reads it.
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Radio and Television. a commercial or other announcement inserted by a local station into a network broadcast.
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the act of cutting in, as on a dancing couple.
verb
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Also: cut into. to break in or interrupt
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(intr) to interrupt a dancing couple to dance with one of them
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(intr) (of a driver, motor vehicle, etc) to draw in front of another vehicle leaving too little space
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informal (tr) to allow to have a share
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(intr) to take the place of a person in a card game
noun
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Move oneself between others, take a place ahead of one's proper turn. For example, She was very aggressive, always cutting in the cafeteria line . [Early 1600s]
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Also, . Interrupt a conversation; also, interpose oneself between dancing partners and replace one of them. For example, Before Walter was done talking, Marion cut into his conversation , or Jane was quite pleased when Arthur cut in on their dance . [First half of 1800s]
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Also, cut in on . Include in a profitable business deal or share of the profit, as in Do you want to be cut in on this deal? or We plan to cut you in on this moneymaker . [ Slang ; late 1800s]
Etymology
Origin of cut-in
First recorded in 1880–85; noun use of verb phrase cut in
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There are many different types of pie crust,” Baldwin explained, “but the most classic ones use a cut-in fat technique, which gives you a tender, flaky crust.”
From Salon
Though there are people who cut-in, it’s a minor issue compared to the core problem frustrating the commuters on the Washington State Ferries system.
From Seattle Times
“There’s no automatic cut-in of the vagus nerve,” Phil Resch said, “in an android. As there is in a human. Weren’t you taught that when they trained you? I got taught that years ago.”
From Literature
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Its hallmark was the “Clovis point,” a four-inch spearhead with a slightly cut-in, concave tail; in silhouette, the points somewhat resemble those goldfish-shaped cocktail crackers.
From Literature
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“Virtually every one of his rallies and his speeches gets a live cut-in from a cable network, so that’s worth hundreds of millions of dollars in television exposure.”
From The Guardian
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.