cut one's teeth

  • 21cut — ► VERB (cutting; past and past part. cut) 1) make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp implement. 2) shorten or divide into pieces with a sharp implement. 3) make, form, or remove with a sharp implement. 4) make or design (a …

    English terms dictionary

  • 22cut — or short cut [kut] vt. cut, cutting [ME cutten, kytten < Late OE * cyttan < Scand base seen in Swed dial., Ice kuta, to cut with a knife: the word replaced OE ceorfan (see CARVE), snithan, scieran (see SHEAR) as used in its basic senses] I… …

    English World dictionary

  • 23To set one's teeth — Set Set (s[e^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Set}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Setting}.] [OE. setten, AS. setton; akin to OS. settian, OFries. setta, D. zetten, OHG. sezzen, G. setzen, Icel. setja, Sw. s[ a]tta, Dan. s?tte, Goth. satjan; causative from the root… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 24cut — adjective make or design (a garment) in a particular way: → cut cut verb (cutting; past and past participle cut) 1》 make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp tool or object. 2》 remove (something) from something larger by… …

    English new terms dictionary

  • 25To cut one's eyeteeth — Eyetooth Eye tooth ([imac] t[=oo]th ), n.; pl. {Eyeteeth} ([imac] t[=e]th ) (Anat.) A canine tooth of the upper jaw. See {Teeth}. [1913 Webster] {To cut one s eyeteeth}, to become acute or knowing. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 26cut — [c]/kʌt / (say kut) verb (cut, cutting) –verb (t) 1. to penetrate, with or as with a sharp edged instrument: he cut his finger. 2. to strike sharply, as with a whip. 3. to wound severely the feelings of. 4. to divide, with or as with a sharp… …

  • 27cut — v. & n. v. (cutting; past and past part. cut) 1 tr. (also absol.) penetrate or wound with a sharp edged instrument (cut his finger; the knife won t cut). 2 tr. & intr. (often foll. by into) divide or be divided with a knife etc. (cut the bread;… …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 28teeth — For no particularly good reason, one has a toothache, not a teethache, even if more than one tooth is hurting. One also refers to a toothbrush and to tooth marks, although the brush works on more than one tooth and marks result from the bite of… …

    Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • 29teeth — /tiθ / (say teeth) plural noun 1. plural of tooth. 2. the punitive sections of a legislation, ruling, etc., meant to ensure its enforcement: give a regulation teeth. –phrase 3. be fed (up) to the (back) teeth with, Colloquial to be heartily sick… …

  • 30Cut — (k[u^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cut}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Cutting}.] [OE. cutten, kitten, ketten; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. cwtau to shorten, curtail, dock, cwta bobtailed, cwt tail, skirt, Gael. cutaich to shorten, curtail, dock, cutach short,… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English