cut offs

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralinformalAmerican

   Shorts made by cutting the legs off a pair of long trousers, usually jeans.

   Grammar: It is plural in this sense: her cutoffs are old, with a pair of cutoffs.

   Patterns

   • a pair of cut-offs
   • wear cut-offs

   He wore faded cut-offs and a T-shirt to the beach.

   She turned her old jeans into cut-offs for the summer.

   Cut-offs are cheap and comfortable in hot weather.

2. 2nounplural

   Points or limits set to mark the place where something stops, such as deadlines or score levels.

   Grammar: Plural of cut-off: the cut-offs for the exam were announced.

   Patterns

   • cut-offs for something
   • set cut-offs

   The university announced the cut-offs for each course.

   Applications must arrive before the cut-offs listed on the website.

   Different schools set different age cut-offs for the team.

Word forms

Common combinations

denim cut-offs

She wore denim cut-offs to the festival.

a pair of cut-offs

I found a pair of cut-offs in the bottom drawer.

age cut-offs

Age cut-offs for the competition are strictly enforced.

set cut-offs

The committee will set cut-offs for each grade.

strict cut-offs

There are strict cut-offs for submitting forms.

Synonyms and how they differ

jean shorts

This names the garment plainly, whereas cut-offs suggests they were homemade from longer pants.

limits

This is a broader word for any boundary, while cut-offs are specific points where something stops.

deadlines

This applies only to times by which work must be done, whereas cut-offs can be about scores, ages or amounts.

thresholds

This describes a level that must be reached, often in science or policy, and is more formal.

Word family

cut off verb

to remove or separate by cutting, or to stop supply

cut-off noun

a limit or point where something ends

cut verb

to divide with a sharp tool

cutting noun

a piece cut from a plant, or a news item cut from a paper

Commonly confused: cut offs or cut-offs?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “cut offs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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