- cut (v.)
- late 13c., possibly Scandinavian, from N.Gmc. *kut-, or from O.Fr. couteau "knife." Replaced O.E. ceorfan "carve," sniþan, and scieran "shear." Meaning "to be absent without excuse" is British university slang from 1794. The noun meaning "gash, incision" is attested from 1520s; meaning "piece cut off" is from 1590s; sense of "a wounding sarcasm" is from 1560s. To cut a pack of cards is from 1590s.
- cutaneous
- 1570s, from Mod.L. cutaneus, from cutis "the skin" (see cuticle).
- cute
- 1731, shortening of acute; informal sense of "pretty" is 1834, Amer.Eng. student slang.
- cutesy
- "artificially or annoyingly cute," by 1968, from cute.
- cutey
- alt. spelling of cutie.
- cuticle
- 1615, from L. cuticula, dim. of cutis "skin," from PIE *ku-ti-, from base *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal" (cf. Lith. kiautas "husk," O.E. hyd "skin, hide;" see hide (n.1)). Specialized sense of "skin at the base of the nail" is from 1907.
- cutie
- "cute person," originally esp. "attractive young woman," 1917, from cute.
- cutlass
- 1590s, from M.Fr. coutelas, probably from It. coltellaccio "large knife," from coltello "knife," from L. cultellus "small knife," dim. of culter "knife, plowshare."
- cutler
- c.1400, from Fr. coutelier, from L. cultellarius, from cultellus "knife" (see cutlass).
- cutlery
- mid-14c., from O.Fr. coutelerie "cutting utensils," from coutel "knife," from L. cultellus (see cutlass).
- cutlet
- 1706, from Fr. côtelette, from O.Fr. costelette "little rib," from coste "rib, side," from L. costa (see coast), infl. by Eng. cut.
- cutoff (n.)
- 1741, "act of cutting off," also "portion cut off," from verbal phrase cut off (late 14c.). Of rivers, from 1773; of roads, from 1806; of clothing (adj.), from 1840.
- cutpurse
- "one who steals by the method of cutting purses, a common practice when men wore their purses at their girdles" [Johnson], mid-14c., from cut (v.) + purse. The word continued after the method switched to picking pockets.
- cutter
- early 15c., "one who cuts," in any sense, agent noun from cut (v.). As a type of small, single-masted vessel, from 1762, earlier "boat belonging to a ship of war" (1745), perhaps so called from the notion of "cutting" through the water.
- cutthroat
- 1530s, from cut (v.) + throat. Of card games, from 1823.
- cutting edge
- also cutting-edge, 1825 in the literal sense (often at first with reference to plows); fig. sense is from c.1970.
- cuttlefish
- O.E. cudele "the cuttlefish;" perhaps related to M.L.G. küdel "container, pocket;" O.N. koddi "cushion, testicle;" and O.E. codd (see cod).
- acute
- 1560s, from L. acutus "sharp, pointed," pp. of acuere "sharpen" (see acuity). Medical sense of "coming and going quickly" (of a fever or disease, as opposed to a chronic one) first recorded 1660s.
- Calcutta
- city in eastern India, named for Hindu goddess Kali.
- charcuterie
- 1858, from Fr. char (Mod.Fr. chair) cuite "cooked flesh," from chair "meat" + cuit, pp. of cuire "to cook."
- circumlocution
- c.1510, from L. circumlocutionem (a loan-translation of Gk. periphrasis) "speaking around" (the topic), from circum- "around" + locutionem (nom. locutio) "a speaking," from stem of loqui "to speak."
- Connecticut
- originally the name of the river, said to be from Mohican (Algonquian) quinnitukqut "at the long tidal river," from *kwen- "long" + *-ehtekw "tidal river" + *-enk "place."
- consecutive
- 1610s, from Fr. consécutif (fem. consécutive), from M.Fr., from M.L. consecutivus, from L. consecutus "following closely," pp. of consequi (see consequence).
- electrocute
- "execute by electricity," 1889, Amer.Eng., from electro- (see electric) + (exe)cute; sense involving accidental death is first recorded 1909. Electric chair is also first recorded 1889, which is when the first one was introduced in New York state as a humane alternative to hanging. Related: Electrocuted; electrocution.
- elocution
- c.1500, from L.L. elocutionem (nom. elocutio) "voice production, manner of expression," in classical L. "oratorical expression," from eloqui "speak out."
- escutcheon
- late 15c., from O.N.Fr. escuchon, variant of O.Fr. escusson, from L. scutum "shield" (see hide (n.1)).
- execute
- late 14c., "to carry into effect," from Fr. executer, from M.L. executare, from L. execut-/exsecut-, pp. stem of exequi/exsequi "to follow out" (see execution). Meaning "to inflict capital punishment" is from late 15c. Related: Executed; executing.
- execution
- mid-14c., from O.Fr. execution, from L. executionem, agent noun from exequi/exsequi "to follow out," from ex- "out" + sequi "follow" (see sequel). Sense of "act of putting to death" is from M.E. legal phrases such as don execution of deth "carry out a sentence of death." Literal meaning "action of carrying something into effect" is from late 14c. John McKay, coach of the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers (U.S. football team), when asked by a reporter what he thought of his team's execution, replied, "I think it would be a good idea." Executor and executioner were formerly used indifferently, since both are carrying out legal orders.
- executioner
- "headsman," 1560s; "one who carries into effect," 1590s; agent noun from execution.
- executive
- 1640s, adj., "of the branch of government that carries out the laws," from M.Fr. executif, from L. executivus, from pp. stem of exequi (see execution). The noun in this sense is from 1790. Meaning "businessman" is 1902 in Amer.Eng. Executive privilege is first attested 1940.
- executor
- late 13c., from Anglo-Fr. executour, from L. executorem, agent noun from exsequi (see execution). Fem. form executrix is attested from c.1500.
- interlocutor
- 1514, from L. interlocutus, pp. of interloqui "interrupt," from inter- "between" + loqui "speak."
- locution
- early 15c., from L. locutionem (nom. locutio) "a speaking," from locatus, pp. of loqui "to speak."
- persecution
- c.1340, "oppression for the holding of a belief or opinion," from O.Fr. persecution (12c.), from L. persecutionem (nom. persecutio), noun of action from persequi "pursue, start a legal action," from per- "through" + sequi "follow" (see sequel). The verb persecute is attested from 1482 in the sense of "to oppress for the holding of a belief or opinion," from M.Fr. persécuter "pursue, torment, open legal action" (14c.), from L. persecutus, pp. of persequi. Psychological persecution complex is recorded from 1961; earlier persecution mania (1892).
- prosecute
- early 15c., "follow up, pursue" (some course or action), from L. prosecutus, pp. of prosequi "follow after" (see pursue). Meaning "bring to a court of law" is first recorded 1570s. Prosecutor in legal sense is attested from 1660s; prosecution in this sense is from 1630s.
- scuttle (n.)
- "bucket," O.E. scutel "dish, platter," from L. scutella "serving platter," dim. of scutra "flat tray, dish," perhaps related to scutum "shield" (see hide (n.1)). A common Gmc. borrowing from Latin (cf. O.N. skutill, M.Du. schotel, O.H.G. scuzzila, Ger. Schüssel). Meaning "basket for sifting grain" is attested from mid-14c.; sense of "bucket for holding coal" first recorded 1849.
- scuttle (v.1)
- "scamper, scurry," mid-15c., probably related to scud (q.v.).
- scuttle (v.2)
- "cut a hole in a ship to sink it," 1642, from skottell (n.) "opening in a ship's deck" (1497), from M.Fr. escoutille (Mod.Fr. écoutille), from Sp. escotilla "hatchway," dim. of escota "opening in a garment," from escotar "cut out," perhaps from e- "out" + Gmc. *skaut-. Fig. use is recorded from 1888.
- scuttlebutt
- 1805, "water cask kept on a ship's deck," from scuttle "opening in a ship's deck" (see scuttle (v.2)) + butt "barrel." Earlier scuttle cask (1777). Meaning "rumor, gossip" first recorded 1901, originally nautical slang, traditionally said to be from sailors' custom of gathering around the scuttlebutt to gossip.
- subcutaneous
- "under the skin," 1651, from sub- + cutaneous (see cuticle).
- uncut
- 1426, "not gashed or wounded," from un- (1) "not" + cut (v.). Of books, "not having the leaves slit open" it is recorded from 1828; of plays, etc., "without excisions," it is attested from 1896.
- undercut (v.)
- 1382, "to cut down or off," from under + cut (v.). In the commercial sense of "to sell at lower prices" (or work at lower wages) it is first attested 1884. Fig. sense of "render unstable, undermine" is recorded from 1955, from earlier lit. meaning "cut so as to leave the upper portion larger than the lower" (1874).