pret. and prep. cut.

To separate the parts of any body by an edged instrument, either by striking, as with an ax, or by sawing or rubbing; to make a gash, incision or notch, which separates the external part of a body, as to cut the flesh. It signifies also, to cut into pieces; to sever or divide; as, to cut timber in the forest. But when an entire separation of the body is intended, it is usually followed by off, down, asunder, in two, in pieces, or other word denoting such severance. Ye shall not cut yourselves, that is, ye shall not gash your flesh. Deuteronomy 14:1.

To hew. Thy servants can skill to cut timber. 2 Chronicles 2:8.

To carve, as meat; to carve or engrave in sculpture.

To divide; to cleave, by passing through; as, a ship cuts the briny deep.

To penetrate; to pierce; to affect deeply; as, a sarcasm cuts to the quick.

To divide, as a pack of cards; as, to cut and shuffle.

To intersect; to cross. One line cuts another at right angles. The ecliptic cuts the equator.

To castrate. To cut across, to pass by a shorter course, so as to cut off an angle or distance. To cut asunder, to cut into pieces; to divide; to sever. He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. Psalm 129:4. To cut down, to fell; to cause to fall by severing. Ye shall cut down their groves. Exodus 34:13. Hence, to depress; to abash; to humble; to shame; to silence; as, his eloquence cuts down the finest orator. To cut off,

To separate one part from another; as, to cut off a finger, or an arm; to cut off the right hand figure; to cut off a letter or syllable.

To destroy; to extirpate; to put to death untimely. Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord.7 Kings 18:4. Evil doers shall be cut off. Psalm 37:9.

To separate; to remove to a distance, or to prevent all intercourse. A man in another country or in prison is cut off from his country or his friends.

To interrupt; as, to cut off communication.

To separate; to remove; to take away; as, to cut off ten years of life.

To intercept; to hinder from return, or union. The troops were cut off from the ships.

To end; to finish; as, to cut off all controversy.

To prevent or preclude; as, to cut off all occasion of blame.

To preclude or shut out. The sinner cuts himself off from the benefits of Christianity.

To stop, interrupt or silence. The judge cut off the counsel very short. To cut on,

To hasten; to run or ride with the utmost speed; a vulgar phrase.