A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

cut someone off • cut someone off at the pass
cut someone off —
1
. (also: cut someone off short) interrupt a
person: The doctor came in and started to explain the proce-
dure, but I cut him off. 2. (usually Passive) isolate or separate
a person (from smth.): We were cut off by the incoming sea
and nearly drowned. 3. (usually Passive) kill a person: Mary
was gone, cut off in the prime of life, in the glow of beauty.
cut someone off at the pass —
1
. intercept a person: When I
noticed he was leaving I figured I would cut him off at the
pass and have him sign an autograph. 2. foil smb.’s plans or
efforts: The good guys intend to blow up a fort. Will they
succeed or be cut off at the pass?
cut someone off with a shilling • cut someone off
without a shilling
cut someone off with a shilling —disinherit a person: Anasta-
sius made a poor match, married against his father’s wish, and
was cut off with a shilling.
cut someone off without a shilling — = cut someone off with a
shilling: I know that one of my forebears was cut off without
a shilling when he married a girl without his family’s consent.
cut something away • cut something off • cut
something out
cut something away —detach smth. by cutting: If you cut
away some of the dead wood, you will have a healthier tree.
cut something off —
1
. remove smth. by cutting: The man cut
off a succulent piece of meat and handed it to me. 2. discon-
nect smth. such as gas, electricity, etc.: Our water supply has
been cut off again this week. 3. isolate or separate smth.: Last
night’s severe snowstorm cut off three villages.
cut something out—
1
. extract or obtain smth. by cutting: He
cut out this photograph from the newspaper. 2. refrain from
smth.; give up smth.: He has decided to cut out smoking and
drinking. 3. delete words, paragraphs, etc.: Before we can print
this book, you will have to cut out all the four-letter words.
4. replace a competitor in business, etc.: The big new store is
going to cut all the small shops out.