Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 2.pdf/247

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Cute, Cuterer, and Cutely, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Sharp; clever; 'fly to wot's wot.' [A corruption of ACUTE.] Fr., avoir le nez creux. For synonyms, see Knowing. So also cuteness, the quality or character of being cute.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Cute (a): sharp, witty, ingenious, ready, etc.

1754. B. Martin, Eng. Dict. (2 ed.). Cute (a low word used instead of (Acute): witty.

1762. Foote, Orators, Act i. I did speechify once at a vestry concerning new lettering the church buckets, and came off cutely enough.

1765. Foote, Commissary, III. I did not know but they might be after, more cuterer now in catching their larniug.

1768. Goldsmith, Good Natured Man, Act ii. Well, who could have thought so innocent a face could cover so much 'cuteness!

1768. Goldsmith, Good Natured Man, Act iv. Truly, madam, I write and indite but poorly. I never was 'cute at my learning.

1874. M. Collins, Frances, ch. xxxv. We can leave them to their own devices; they're both pretty 'cute.

1884. C. Gibbon, By Mead and Stream, ch. xx. Dressed in the latest City fashion—for there is a City fashion, designed apparently to combine the elegance of the West end with a suggestion of superhuman 'cuteness.'

Cut Fine, verbal phr. (common).—To narrow down to a minimum.

Cut In, verbal phr. (common).—To join in suddenly and without ceremony; to intrude, or chip in (q.v.). Also substantively.

1819. Scott, Bride of Lammermoor, ch. xxi. He was afraid you would cut in and carry off the girl.

1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. xxiv., p. 246. I advise you to keep your own counsel, and to avoid tittle-*tattle, and not to cut in where you're not wanted.

1849. Thackeray. Pendennis, ch. vii. 'Most injudicious,' cut in the Major.

1864. G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, ch. vi. Keeping all her after-supper waltzes for him religiously, though half the men in town were trying to cut in.

1883. Referee, 17 June, p. 7, col. 4. I am anxious to have a cut in and get a big advertisement for nothing.

1884. W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, ch. v. 'In short,' cut in my uncle unceremoniously, 'you have seen enough of Jack's life to know something about it?'

Cut Into, verbal phr. (Winchester College).—Originally to hit one with a 'ground ash.' The office was exercised by Bible-clerks upon a 'man' kicking up a row when 'up to books.' Now generally used in the sense of to correct in a less formal manner than tunding (q.v.).

Cut It, verbal phr. (common).—To move off quickly; to run away, or cut dirt (q.v.). For synonyms, see Amputate and Skedaddle.

1885. Indoor Paupers, p. 36. Once a week we cut it From the workhouse gate.

Intj. phr. (common).—'Cease!' 'Stow it!' 'Stash it!'—A forcible injunction to desist and be off. Also cut that! or simply cut!

1863. C. Reade, Hard Cash, II., 240. Then first he seemed to awake to his danger, and uttered a stentorian cry of terror, that rang through the night, and made two [unprofessional] of his three captors tremble. 'Cut that,' said Green [professional] sternly, 'or you'll get into trouble.' Mr. Hardie lowered his voice directly.

Cut it Fat, verbal phr. (general). —To show off; to make a display; to 'come it strong'; 'put on side,' or cut a dash (q.v.).

1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 54. Gentlemen, in alarming waistcoats,