cut it short—(coll.) 1. leave a very narrow time margin; nearly miss smth. by being late: You’ve cut it short, the train’s just leaving. 2. bring to an end what one is doing or saying: Felix began a long, irrelevant speech and he resisted calls to cut it short. take a short cut— 1. follow […]
Difference between Cut it and Cut it out
cut it—(coll.) be effective or successful: Getting an average of four hours of sleep doesn’t cut it for me any longer. cut it out—(coll.) stop doing smth.: This is unacceptable behavior, so please cut it out.
Difference between Cut from the same cloth and Cut out of whole cloth
cut from the same cloth—said of two or more people who are very similar: Don’t assume that all women are cut from the same cloth. Jill won’t necessarily react the same way I did. cut out of whole cloth—(also: made out of whole cloth) wholly fabricated or false: We would never again wage a war […]
Difference between Cut both ways and Have it both ways
cut both ways—have a mixed effect; have both favorable and unfavorable results: In the Griese family, father and son are both cool, which cuts both ways. have it both ways— 1. have both of two incompatible things or situations: We all want to have it both ways: take frequent days off, but still have plenty […]
Difference between Cut back one’s losses and Cut one’s losses
cut back one’s losses—diminish costs, expenditures, etc.: The company said the new strategy was designed to help it cut back its losses. cut one’s losses— 1. = cut back one’s losses: Many semiconductor firms which had overproduced … sought to cut their losses by quickly selling off their stockpiles of semiconductors. 2. withdraw from a […]
Difference between Cut back on something and Cut back to something
cut back on something—lower the rate of smth.; reduce smth.: The company cut back on production during the war. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase cut back something— 1. make smth. shorter by cutting: He decided to cut the plants back, in order to improve their growth later in […]
Difference between Cut and run and Hit and run
cut and run—leave without warning; make a quick or sudden escape: To cut and run, to walk out, as Elspeth had, was quite unthinkable to Isabel: it was not in the pattern of civilized behavior. hit and run—(attrib.) 1. (of a driver) failing to stop after causing an accident: He will suffer no after-effects from […]
Difference between Cut above someone and Head and shoulders above someone
cut above someone, a—(coll.) rather superior to smb.: Kitts’ residents consider themselves a cut above the rest of the Caribbean. Cf.: a cut below someone—rather inferior to a person: Kind and affectionate he ever was, but he couldn’t but own … that I was a cut below him. head and shoulders above someone—considerably much superior […]
Difference between Curtain raiser and Raise the curtain
curtain raiser— 1. a short play performed before a main play: On the first night performance of “The Alcade,” she played in a curtain- raiser “Bertram.” 2. said of any preliminary event or activity: This match was a curtain-raiser to the Wills Open Tournament. raise the curtain—(also: lift the curtain) make smth. known; expose smth.: […]
Difference between Curse at someone and Curse someone
curse at someone—swear at a person; cast angry words at smb.: I don’t curse at other drivers in my infinite need to get anywhere as quickly as possible. curse someone— 1. damn a person for doing smth.: She would scream his name over and over, alternately pleading for help and cursing him for not providing […]
Difference between Cry for something and Cry out for something
cry for something— 1. weep in order to get food, attention, etc.: While the rescuers were still clearing the debris, the child was crying for water. 2. need smth. very much: It’s a reversal from problems felt earlier this summer when the region was crying for rain amid a drought. cry out for something— = […]
Difference between Cry all the way to the bank and Laugh all the way to the bank
cry all the way to the bank—(ironic) make a lot of money, especially undeservedly: When the reviews are bad I tell my staff that they can join me as I cry all the way to the bank. laugh all the way to the bank — = cry all the way to the bank: Naturally, they […]