cutting the mustard

Verb

cut the mustard (third-person singular simple present cuts the mustard, present participle cutting the mustard, simple past and past participle cut the mustard)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To achieve the expected standard; to be effective or good enough; to suffice.
   • Give me the bigger hammer. This little one just doesn’t cut the mustard.

   Synonyms:

   be up to par, be up to scratch, be up to snuff, cut it, hack it, make the cut, make the grade, measure up, pass muster