verb
transitive verb
1. : detach : strike off : sever
cut off 20 years of his life
2. : to cause the death of : end life : bring to an untimely end
suddenly cut off by a fever in the plenitude of health, vigor, and aspirations — George Grote
3. : intercept , stop : stop the passage of
cut off supplies from a beleaguered town
cutting off communications between the defenders
4. : to shut off : bar
the fence cut off his view
the river cutting off their retreat
a scandal cutting her off from society
cut off from one another by miles of moorland — L.D.Stamp
5.
a. : to end suddenly : break off : terminate abruptly : interrupt and silence
cutting off hope of reconciliation
cutting off the prisoner's protests
b. : to turn off : stop the operation of
cut off the engine
6. : separate , isolate
cut himself off entirely
cut herself off from her family
7. : disinherit ; sometimes : to bequeath to (a person) a ridiculously paltry sum (as to indicate displeasure with the legatee)
cut off his scapegrace son with a hundred dollars
8. : interrupt , stop : turn off : stop the operation of
cut off a motor
cut off a radio program
specifically : to stop or interfere with (someone speaking on a telephone) by breaking the connection
he had spoken only a dozen words when the operator cut him off
9. : to intercept (a baseball thrown from the outfield usually toward home plate)
intransitive verb
: to cease operating
a motor may cut off if it is overtaxed