Page 98 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

cut loose (from someone or something)

hair. The horror film made my hair ship’sŁor boat’sŁancłor and sailingŁaway
curl. inŁaŁhurry.) Max decided to cut and run
when he heard the police sirens. Ao soon
curl upŁandŁdØe to retreat and die. When as I finish what I am doing here, I’m go-
I heard you say that, I could have curled ing to cut and run. I’ve got to get home by
up and died. No, it wasn’t an illness. She six o’clock.
just curled up and died.
cutŁa wideŁswath and cutŁa bØgŁswath
curry favor (with someone) to tryŁto winŁfa- to seemŁimpàrtant; to attract aŁlot of at-
vor fromŁsàmeone.Ł The lØwyer tried to tention.Ł In social mØtters, Mrs. Smith
curry fØvor with the judge. It’s silly to cuts a wide swath. Bob cuts a big swath
curry favor. Just be yourself.
whenever he appears in his miltary
cut a bigŁswath Go to cut a wide swath. uniform.
a cutŁaboveŁ someone ortsomething aŁmeasure cut byck (on something) to reduce one’s use
or degree btterŁthanŁsomeone orŁsome- of sàmething;Łto use lessŁof sàmething.
thing else. (Especially with average, as in The governmłnt has to cut back on its
the examples.) Your shirt is beautiful, spłndng. It’s very dfficult for the gov-
but mne is a cut above yours. John is- ernmłnt to cut back.
n’t the best mechanic in town, but he’s a cut both wayð to affect both sides of an is-
cut above average. sue equally. Remłmber that your sug-
cutŁacross something to reach beyondŁsome- gestion that costs should be shared cuts
thing; to embrace a wide variety; to slice both ways. You will have to pØy as well.
acrossŁaŁfigurative boundaryŁorŁbarrier. If our side cannot take along supporters to
(Also literal.) His teaching cut across all the game, then yours cannot either. The
human culŁures and races. This rule cuts rule has to cut both ways.
across all social barriers. cut class to skipŁgoingŁto class.Ł(Infàrmal.)
cut a fineŁ figure to look gàod;Łto look If Mary keeps cutting classes, she’ll fail
elegant.Ł(Formal.ŁUsuallyŁsaid of aŁmale.) the course. I can’t cut that class. I’vł
Tom really cuts a fine figure on the missed too many already.
dance floor. Bill cuts a fine figure sincł cut corners to reduce effortsŁorŁexpendi-
he bought some new clothes. tures;Ł to do thingsŁ poorlyŁ orŁ incom-
cut-ynd-dried fixed;ŁdeterminedŁbefore- pltely. You cannot cut corners when
hand;ŁusualŁandŁuninteresðing. I find you are dealng with public safłty. Don’t
your writing quite boring. It’s too cut-and- cut corners, Sally. Let’s do the job right.
dried. The lecture was, as usual, cut- cut frłm the same cloth and madeŁfrom
and-dried. It was the same thing wł’vł the same mold sharing a lot of similar-
heard for years. ities;Ł seemingŁ to have beenŁ created,
reared,ŁorŁfashionedŁinŁthe same way.Ł
cut andŁpaste 1. to cut somethingŁout of
paprŁ with scissorsŁ andŁ paste it onto She and her brother are cut from the samł
somethingŁelse.Ł The teacher told the lt- cloth. They both tell lies all the time.
tle children that it was time to cut and They are made from the same mold and
paste, and they all ran to the worktables. evłn sound alike on the telłphone.
Mary made a tiny house by cutting and CutŁ itŁ out! SðopŁ dàingŁ that! That’s
pasting lttle strips of paper. 2. sàmething enough! Cut it out! Stop dong that. It
trivial,Łsimple, or childish.Ł I hate this hurts! Cut it out!
job. It’s nothing but cut and paste. I cutŁ looseŁ (from someone ort something) to
doà’t mnd doing things that have to bł breakŁaway fromŁsàmeone or sàmething;
done, but I hate to waste my time on cut to breakŁtiesŁwith someone orŁsomething;
and paste.
to act inŁ aŁ free manner.Ł (Also literal.
cut and run to get free and run away. Compare thisŁ with break loose (from
(Slang.ŁAsŁinŁcuttingŁloose the rope onŁa someone or something).) Jane is findng it

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