Learn English – Differences between “cut”, “cut off”, and “cut out”

phrasal-verbsword-choice

Choose cut, cut off or cut out for each figure.

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I refered to the Macmillan dictionary for a full list of usages, and found this:

  • Cut (into more than 2 pieces, in 0.5 or 2 pieces, cut hair,…)
  • Cut out for cutting a piece from large object (article from magazine)
  • Cut off to split to remove (cut off your arm)

However I am still confused regarding the figures in question.

I suspect it should be:

  1. Cut (because we split it into two)
  2. Cut out (because we cut out a large circle)
  3. Cut off (because it was a small piece from the end)

Can someone give a better explanation?

Best Answer

The three definitions overlap substantially, but usage of the three differ by context.

Let's put the three words into full sentences:

  1. This piece of paper was cut.
  2. This shape was cut out from the page.
  3. A corner of the page was cut off.

Sentence 1 just means that a sharp tool was applied to the paper, causing one or more incisions. (E.g. a rectangular piece of paper can be cut into the shape of a star, an apple can be cut into quarters.) There is often an expectation that the cut starts from an external part of the original unless the phrase is expanded to cut out. You can say that the left and right figures were cut; a weaker case can be made for the middle figure.

Sentence 2 indicates the relationship between the shape and its 'parent' page. The word "out" gives the phrase "cut out" the notion that the shape was cut from the page's interior region. This closely matches the middle figure.

Sentence 3 stresses the break in connection between the corner and the page. "Cut off" normally refers to the removal of a protruding section. This matches the figure on the left best.

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