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sight of my rival, and promises to cut him dead the first time they meet.

1870. Daily News, 26 May, 'Leader.' The old Greeks dedicated an altar to the Unknown God, for fear of cutting some jealous but obscure deity through ignorance of his existence and attributes.

Also as verbal substantive, cutting.

1840. Mrs. Gore, The Dowager, ch. xiii. [On the Continent.] Every person's place in Society is so definite that except in cases of some enormous breach of propriety, no person once established can ever be expelled. Unless for cogent reasons, he could not have been there at all There is no talk of 'cutting.' Such an outrage would reflect on the perpetrator rather than on the person 'cut.' All the vulgar caprices consequent on a shifting state of society are unknown.

3. (general).—Also to cut and run, cut it, cut one's lucky, cut one's stick, cut off, cut away, etc. To depart more or less hurriedly and perforce. [Originally nautical—to cut the cable and run before the wind.] Cut over and cut away formerly bore precisely the same meanings. For synonyms, see Amputate and Skedaddle.

1570. Lambarde, Perambulation of Kent. Let me cut over to Watling Streete.

1593. Nashe, Countercuffe to Martin Junior, in wks., vol. I., p. 79. He came latelie ouer-sea into Kent, fro thence he cut ouer into Essex at Grauesende.

1678. C. Cotton, Scarronides, bk. IV., p. 86 (ed. 1725). Put on the Wings that used to bear ye, And cut away to Carthage quickly.

1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 51. Explain the philosophical meaning of the sentence. 'He cut away from the crushers as quick as a flash of lightning thro' a gooseberry bush.'

1857. Dickens, Little Dorrit, bk. I., ch. xxxi., p. 238. 'I see precious well,' said Mr. Tip, rising, 'that I shall get no sensible or fair argument here to-night, and so the best thing I can do is to cut.'

1888. Rider Haggard, Mr. Meeson's Will [in Illus. Lond. News, Summer Number], p. 2, col. 3. Off you go! and mind you don't set foot in Pompadour Hall, Mr. Meeson's seat, unless it is to get your clothes. Come, cut.

4. (trade).—To compete in business; to under-sell. A cutting trade is one where profits are reduced to a minimum. Also cut under.

1874. H. Mayhew, London Characters, p. 469. All agreed in referring their misery to the spirit of competition on the part of the masters—the same universal desire to cut under.

1883. L. Oliphant, Altiora Peto, II., xxiii., 78. So we dissolved partnership, and I went in with another chap, to work on some kind of principle, but Ned was all the time cutting under us by bringing out some new contrivance—he's great on electricity, Ned is.

5. (common).—To excel.—See quot., 1853. Also cut out (q.v.).

1853. Wh. Melville, Digby Grand, ch. viii. There have been instances of the weaker sex cutting down, from sheer nerve and determination, the bearded sons of Nimrod themselves.

1884. Referee, 13 April, p. 1, col. 4. George's performance in the ten miles handicap at Stamford Bridge on Monday—51 min. 20 sec.—is hardly likely to be disturbed for a long time to come, unless he cuts himself.

6. (theatrical).—To strike out portions of a dramatic production, so as to shorten for representation. Cf., subs., sense 3.

7. (University).—To avoid; to absent oneself from. Thus, TO cut lecture, to cut chapel, to cut hall, to cut gates are common phrases.

1794. Gentleman's Mag., Dec., s.v.

1889. Whibley, In Cap and Gown, s.v.

Cut a caper or capers, verbal phr. (colloquial).—To play a trick or prank; to behave bois