cut off

British  

verb

1. to remove by cutting

2. to intercept or interrupt something, esp a telephone conversation

3. to discontinue the supply of

   to cut off the water

4. to bring to an end

5. to deprive of rights; disinherit

   she was cut off without a penny

6. to sever or separate

   she was cut off from her family

7. to occupy a position so as to prevent or obstruct (a retreat or escape)

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noun

1. 1. the act of cutting off; limit or termination

   2. ( as modifier )

      the cutoff point

2. a route or way that is shorter than the usual one; short cut

3. a device to terminate the flow of a fluid in a pipe or duct

4. Also called: offcut.  the remnant of metal, plastic, etc, left after parts have been machined or trimmed

5. electronics

   1. the value of voltage, frequency, etc, below or above which an electronic device cannot function efficiently

   2. ( as modifier )

      cutoff voltage

6. a channel cutting across the neck of a meander, which leaves an oxbow lake

7. another name for oxbow

cut off Idioms  

1. Separate from others, isolate, as in The construction debris cut off the workers from the canteen , or The new sect was cut off from the church . [Late 1500s]

2. Stop suddenly, discontinue, as in He quickly cut off the engine , or The drama was cut off by a news flash about tornado warnings . [Late 1500s]

3. Shut off, bar, Their phone was cut off when they didn't pay the bill , or Tom's father threatened to cut off his allowance . [c. 1600]

4. Interrupt the course or passage of, intercept, as in The operator cut us off , or The shortstop cut off the throw to the plate . [Late 1500s]

5. Also, . Disinherit, as in Grandfather cut him off with a shilling . This usage dates from the early 1700s; the purpose of bequeathing one shilling (a small sum) was to indicate that the heir had not been overlooked but was intentionally being disinherited. In America cent was substituted from about 1800 on.

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Example Sentences

Her frontline home city of Oleshky has, according to multiple accounts, been largely cut off from fresh supplies of food or medicine for months.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Another $40 out of a check this size is more than a 10% cut off the top.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Tucked away in rural western Maryland, past a dead-end road cut off by railroad tracks, a stream runs cool and clear over a ledge dotted with snails.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026

When China cut off exports of heavy rare-earth elements during trade tensions last year, automobile factories in the U.S. and Europe were forced to stop production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

She wore a turquoise sweat suit, the sleeves and legs cut off, threads hanging like a blue-green spiderweb.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds