cutting

[kuht-ing]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that cuts.

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

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

4. something made by cutting, as a recording.

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

6. Manège.

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

   2. a competitive exhibition in which horses demonstrate this skill.

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

8. 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.

3. wounding the feelings severely; sarcastic.

   Synonyms: sardonic, acid, mordant, biting, caustic

4. 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: The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.

   Champion cutting horses are bred for agility.

   The last day of the rodeo was dedicated to the cutting competition and barrel racing finals.

cutting

/ ˈkʌtɪŋ /

noun

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

2. horticulture

   1. 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

   2. a part separated for this purpose

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

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

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

6. informal,  sharp-wittedness

   there is no cutting in him

7. (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

Other Word Forms

• cuttingly adverb
• cuttingness noun
• noncutting adjective
• self-cutting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cutting¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; cut, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

"These large cutting tools are among the most iconic artifacts of the Paleolithic and are instantly recognizable even today, so are a very important find," explains Dr. Karahan.

Read more on Science Daily

Royal sources say that the King has tried many levers to apply pressure, like cutting off Andrew's funding last year.

Read more on BBC

Before the shutdown, Vought's office instructed federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans aimed at cutting employees or programmes whose funding might lapse or were "not consistent with the President's priorities", Politico reported.

Read more on BBC

Maybe this is part of why the prospect of someone else cutting off a family member seems so threatening or upsetting.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In normal circumstances, a Fed faced with such price pressures wouldn’t even think about cutting short-term rates.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• acerbic 
• barbed 
• biting 
• caustic 
• piercing 
• pointed 
• sarcastic 
• sardonic 
• scathing 
• stinging www.thesaurus.com
• trenchant