cut short

1. Abbreviate, stop abruptly, as in The thunderstorm cut short our picnic, or She cut her short, saying she'd already heard the story of their breakup. Shakespeare used this term to mean “put a sudden end to someone's life”: “Rather than bloody war shall cut them short” (2 Henry VI, 4:4), a less common usage today. The broader usage dates from the mid-1600s.

Example Sentences

Rolling back the Clean Truck Partnership means more diesel trucks on California roads, more hospital visits and more lives cut short.

From Los Angeles Times

Their room-confined affair is cut short, however, by David’s getting drafted.

From Los Angeles Times

Murdoch spoke briefly Wednesday at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, a fireside chat cut short because of Murdoch’s late arrival in San Francisco thanks to a weather delay.

From Los Angeles Times

However, Roberts said Ohtani’s pregame catch play on Tuesday was cut short, and that the risk of overexerting the reigning National League MVP by having him make a full-length start Wednesday wasn’t worth it.

From Los Angeles Times

Todd Marinovich, the test-tube quarterback with a domineering father whose promising football career was cut short by addiction, discusses his memoir.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abort 
• break off 
• curtail 
• halt 
• hinder 
• interrupt 
• postpone 
• quit 
• shorten 
• terminate