Word.ws English Dictionary

cutting

Syllables: cut·tingUK/ˈkʌtɪŋ/

cutting noun: the action of the verb to cut. Also the present participle and gerund of cut.

cutting: the action of the verb to cut
Image: Donnanz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

cutting (countable and uncountable, plural cuttings)

  1. The action of the verb to cut.
    • How many different cuttings can this movie undergo?
    • Ye ſhall not make any cuttings in your fleſh for the dead, nor print any markes vpon you: I am the Lord.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 19:28, column 1
  2. (countable) A section removed from a larger whole.
    • [O]bſerving [...] abundance of Matter floating in the Urine like Bran, with a great Number of Recrements like Cuttings of Hair, ſome above an Inch long, which Subſtances were found in all the Water that I made in above Twelve Months; for which I could get no Remedy: I was adviſed to drink Water...1723, John Smith, The Curiosities of Common Water: Or The Advantages thereof in Preventing and Curing Many Distempers. […], 5th edition, London: […] John and Barham Clark, […], →OCLC, pages 9–10
    • I make such gelatine as above mentioned of two different qualities, [...] and I use all such hides and skins, and cuttings of hides and skins as are usually employed in manufacturing glue according to the ordinary method, and which are commonly called glue-pieces, [...]1839 March 23, George Nelson, “Specification of a Patent Granted to George Nelson, […] for a New or Improved Method, or New and Improved Methods of Preparing Gelatine which has the Properties of or...
    1. (countable) A newspaper clipping.
      • Extract from "Newspaper Cuttings relating to Sussex," (Sussex Archaeological Collections, 1872, pp. 140, 141.)p. 1871, Smuggling & Smugglers in Sussex. […], Brighton, East Sussex: W. J. Smith, […], →OCLC, page 263
      • The Witness. [After a farther inspection of the newspaper cutting.] No; it is not in that part about Weber, but here [indicating another newspaper cutting] is the agreement that Mr. Wilder was testifying about, and that has Weber's name.1878 July 13, Henry C. Fisk (witness), “Eleventh Day”, in Presidential Election Investigation: Testimony Taken by the Select Committee on Alleged Frauds in the Presidential Election of 1876 (45th...
    2. (countable) A leaf, stem, branch, or root removed from a plant and cultivated to grow a new plant.
      • To propagate by cuttings, is to cut off the branch or ſtem of a Plant, and to ſet it in the Earth without Roots. Strip it of leaves and branches, Plant deeper than theſe with Roots, and in a rich and moiſt ſoil, keeping it watered and ſhaded, Untill Rooted; cut off their Tops ſave Greens, as if...1683, John Reid, “Of the Several Wayes of Propagation”, in The Scots Gard’ner: […], Edinburgh: […] David Lindsay, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Treating of the Culture of Plants), paragraph 5, page 59
      • All the Sorts of Vines are propagated either from Layers or Cuttings, the former of which is greatly practis'd in England, but the latter is what I would recommend, as being much preferable to the other. [...] I had rather plant a good Cutting than a rooted Plant, provided it be well choſen, and...1733, Philip Miller, “VITIS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, column 1
  3. (countable) An abridged selection of written work, often intended for performance.
    • The actor had to make his cutting shorter to fit the audition time.
  4. (UK, countable) An open passage at a level lower than the surrounding terrain, dug for a canal, railway, or road to go through.
    • [T]he railway, however, will require a farther outlay to render it complete, though the locomotive engine has passed over every foot of ground from Liverpool to Salford. The slopes of the cuttings want dressing, and several of them want protecting with foot walls.1832, “Documents in Relation to the Comparative Merits of Canals and Railroads, Submitted by Mr. Howard, of Maryland, […]. (Doc. No. 101) [No. 7. Observations upon the Cost of the Liverpool and...
    • We flash across the level. / We thunder thro' the bridges. / We bicker down the cuttings. / We sway along the ridges.1876, William Ernest Henley, “[Poem] XXI”, in A Book of Verses, 3rd edition, New York, N.Y.: Scribner & Welford, published 1891, →OCLC, page 77
    Synonyms:
    cut
    Antonyms:
    embankment
  5. (uncountable, sound engineering) The editing of film or other recordings.
  6. (uncountable) The process of bringing metals to a desired shape by chipping away the unwanted material.
    • Boring, drilling, milling, and turning are all different kinds of metal cutting processes.
    • Metal-cutting tools often have two cutting edges, both of which are angled to the direction of cutting, and in round-nosed tools the inclination continuously varies [...].2009, Tony Atkins, “Slice–Push Ratio: Oblique Cutting and Curved Blades, Scissors, Guillotining and Drilling”, in The Science and Engineering of Cutting: The Mechanics and Processes of Separating...
  7. (uncountable) The act of cutting one's own skin as a symptom of a mental disorder; self-harm.
    • Cutting has become one of the most popular forms of self-injury, but there are others at well, and each is just as dangerous as cutting. The information here might help you recognize the signs of self-injury in others.2014, Greg Roza, “What is Self-injury?”, in Cutting and Self-injury (Teen Mental Health), New York, N.Y.: Rosen Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 7

Adjective

cutting (not comparable)

  1. That is used for cutting.
    • I need some sort of cutting utensil to get through this shrink wrap.
    • The power consumed in metal cutting is largely converted into heat near the cutting edge of the tool, and many of the economic and technical problems of machining are caused directly or indirectly by this heating action.1984, E[dward] M[oor] Trent, “Heat in Metal Cutting”, in Metal Cutting, 2nd edition, London; Boston, Mass.: Butterworths & Co., published 1989, →ISBN, page 54
  2. Piercing, sharp.
    • The weather was atrocious, with bitterly cold wind and cutting sleet—rather appropriate, considering Aunt Fonteyn's temperament.2004 June, P[atricia] N[ead] Elrod, chapter 12, in Death Masque (Adventures of Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire; 3), Dallas, Tex.: BenBella Books, →ISBN, page 211
  3. Of criticism, remarks, etc.: (potentially) hurtful; curt.
    • The director gave the auditioning actors cutting criticism.
    • [H]e concludes with this cutting remark, But Benefactors may give Money, but not grateful Minds to ſuch as receive it.1703, Ambr[ose] Philips, “An Appendix to the Life of Abp. Williams”, in The Life of John Williams, Lᵈ Keeper of the Great Seal, Bishop of Lincoln, and ABp. [Archbishop] of York. […], 2nd edition...
  4. (India) Of a beverage: half-sized.
    • a cutting chai
  5. (obsolete, slang) Cutthroat; ruthlessly competitive.
    • […] there are always some "free lances" who are ready to do a "cutting" trade, and thus become formidable competitors.1889, Brewers' Guardian, volume 19, page 159

Proper noun capitalized: Cutting

Cutting (plural Cuttings)

  1. A surname.

Also used as

cutting is also the present participle and gerund of cut.

cutting meaning in Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi and Gujarati

cutting in Malayalam

section removed from a larger whole
മുറി muṟi, കഷണം kaṣaṇaṁ
action of the verb to cut
മുറിക്കൽ muṟikkal

cutting in Kannada

ಕತ್ತರಿಸುವುದು, ಕತ್ತರಿಸುವಿಕೆ

cutting in Punjabi

ਕੱਟਣ

cutting in Gujarati

કાપી નાંખવું, કાપવું

Examples of cutting in a sentence

  • The first stage of the demolition work consisted of removing, by oxy-acetylene cutting, the whole of the plate floor, cross-girders, and lattice parapets.1946 January and February, “Notes and News: Demolition of Rhydyfelin Viaduct”, in Railway Magazine, page 53:
  • Female genital cutting is an intentional, nonmedical modification of the female genitalia.2014, Mary Nyangweso, “Female Genital Cutting: An Overview”, in Female Genital Cutting in Industrialized Countries: Mutilation or Cultural...
  • Yet, while paper cuttings can look very modern, paper cutting as an activity has a long, rich heritage.2011, Natalie Avella, “Introduction”, in Laura Heyenga, compiler, Paper Cutting: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Craft, San Francisco...
  • To propagate by cuttings, is to cut off the branch or ſtem of a Plant, and to ſet it in the Earth without Roots.1683, John Reid, “Of the Several Wayes of Propagation”, in The Scots Gard’ner: […], Edinburgh: […] David Lindsay, […], →OCLC, 2nd part...

All 40 example sentences with cutting

Synonyms of cutting

14 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of cutting

Forms of cutting

Noun
pluralcuttings
Proper noun
pluralCuttings

Plural of cutting: cuttings

Origin of cutting

From cut + -ing.

Words formed from cutting

Phrases with cutting

106 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with cutting

Questions about cutting

What does cutting mean?
Cutting means the action of the verb to cut.
What is cutting in Malayalam?
Cutting in Malayalam is മുറി (muṟi), കഷണം (kaṣaṇaṁ), മുറിക്കൽ (muṟikkal). See Cutting meaning in Malayalam.
How do you use cutting in a sentence?
The first stage of the demolition work consisted of removing, by oxy-acetylene cutting, the whole of the plate floor, cross-girders, and lattice parapets.
What part of speech is cutting?
Cutting can be a noun, an adjective or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce cutting?
Cutting is pronounced /ˈkʌtɪŋ/ (UK).
What is the plural of cutting?
The plural of cutting is cuttings.

Words near cutting in the dictionary

  1. cutthroat trout
  2. cutthroats
  3. cuttie
  4. cutties
  5. cuttin'
  6. cutting
  7. cutting a dash
  8. cutting a deal
  9. cutting a figure
  10. cutting a rug
  11. cutting a shine

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: cutting (page history and authors); Cutting (page history and authors); cutting (Kannada, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); cutting (Punjabi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); cutting (Gujarati, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-cutting.ogg.

Cite this entry: “cutting.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/cutting. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.