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5 cut idioms, with pictures

Look at the picture, read the meaning, and listen to the example.

A smiling woman chef in a white hat stands proudly on top of a tall wooden box and holds up a steaming bowl of soup. Two chefs in gray hats stand on the floor beside the box, look up at her with surprised faces and hold plain bowls.

What does “A cut above” mean?

“A cut above” means better than the others.

Example: Her soup is a cut above the soup in other restaurants.

Emoji clue: scissors, up arrow

A woman in a blue blazer sits at an office desk and holds up a paper with one big green check mark. A man in a gray jacket stands beside the desk and nods with a calm smile. A neat checklist with every box ticked hangs on the wall behind them.

What does “Cut and dried” mean?

“Cut and dried” means already decided and very clear.

Example: The answer is cut and dried, because the rule says you must be 18.

Emoji clue: scissors, plus, desert

A cheerful builder in a yellow hard hat carries a short plank and a hand saw and grins. Behind him a small house has a wavy crooked wall and a tilted roof. A worried woman in a green coat looks up at it with both hands on her cheeks.

What does “Cut corners” mean?

“Cut corners” means do a job fast and badly to save time or money.

Example: The builder cut corners, so now the roof leaks.

Emoji clue: scissors, triangle ruler

A man in a green sweater sits at a small table and looks annoyed, holding up one flat hand like a stop sign. His younger brother in a red shirt sits next to him, taps a pencil on the table and looks innocent.

What does “Cut it out” mean?

“Cut it out” means stop doing something that bothers me.

Example: My brother kept tapping my desk, so I told him to cut it out.

Emoji clue: scissors, outbox tray

A nervous young man in a cook's apron and paper hat drops a tray of hot dogs while yellow mustard bottles tip over around him. A strict boss in a gray suit holds a clipboard, crosses his arms and shakes his head.

What does “Cut the mustard” mean?

“Cut the mustard” means be good enough to do a job.

Example: The new worker was too slow, so he could not cut the mustard.

Emoji clue: scissors, hot dog with mustard

More idioms

Feelings idioms, Time idioms, Work idioms, Money idioms, Food idioms, Travel idioms, Weather idioms, Animal idioms, Body part idioms, Home idioms, Health idioms, Love idioms, Sports idioms, Color idioms, Music idioms, Friendship idioms, Clothes idioms, Water idioms, Cat idioms, Dog idioms, Fire idioms, Business idioms, Horse idioms, Fish idioms, Bird idioms, Heart idioms, Sea idioms, American slang idioms, More American slang idioms, American shopping slang idioms, American work slang idioms, American reply slang idioms, American mood slang idioms, Flower idioms, Tree idioms, Sleep idioms, Luck idioms, Star idioms, Moon idioms, Snow idioms, Light idioms, Egg idioms, Wind idioms, Sun idioms, Hand idioms, Car idioms, Game idioms, Eye idioms, Road idioms, Head idioms, Foot idioms, Blood idioms, Cooking idioms, Thinking idioms, Teeth idioms, Ear idioms, Mouth idioms, Back idioms, Wall idioms, Brain idioms, Book idioms, Nose idioms, Ideas idioms, Face idioms, Lip idioms, Thumb idioms, Door idioms, Sweat idioms, Gold idioms, Silver idioms, Pie idioms, Ball idioms, Bread idioms, Cold idioms, Talk idioms, Red idioms, Deal idioms, Black idioms, Day idioms, Run idioms, Hot idioms, Line idioms, Point idioms, Play idioms, Dead idioms, Top idioms, Low idioms, or all Idiom Rush levels.

100 common English idioms and their meanings

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