CUT BACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cut back mean? 

• CUT BACK (verb)
  The verb CUT BACK has 4 senses:

1. return in time

2. cut down on; make a reduction in

3. cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

4. place restrictions on

  Familiarity information: CUT BACK used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CUT BACK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Return in time

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

cut back; flash back

Context example:

the film cut back to an earlier event in the story

Hypernyms (to "cut back" is one way to...):

return (go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cut down on; make a reduction in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down

Context example:

The employer wants to cut back health benefits

Hypernyms (to "cut back" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Verb group:

cut (have a reducing effect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cut back"):

thin (make thin or thinner)

knock off; shave (cut the price of)

subtract (take off or away)

downsize ((of a company) reduce in size or number of employees)

inflate (increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value)

deflate (reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices)

detract; take away (take away a part from; diminish)

thin out (make sparse)

slash (cut drastically)

retrench (make a reduction, as in one's workforce)

quench (reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance)

spill (reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail))

shorten (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

cutback (a reduction in quantity or rate)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clip; crop; cut back; dress; lop; prune; snip; trim

Context example:

dress the plants in the garden

Hypernyms (to "cut back" is one way to...):

thin out (make sparse)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cut back"):

shear (cut with shears)

poll; pollard (convert into a pollard)

pinch; top (cut the top off)

disbud (thin out buds to improve the quality of the remaining flowers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They cut back the trees

Sense 4

Meaning:

Place restrictions on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

curb; curtail; cut back; restrict

Context example:

curtail drinking in school

Hypernyms (to "cut back" is one way to...):

circumscribe; confine to; limit (restrict or confine within limits)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cut back"):

immobilise; immobilize (cause to be unable to move)

ration (restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war)

control; restrict (place under restrictions; limit access to by law)

abridge (lessen, diminish, or curtail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Pathological gamblers are unable to cut back on their gambling, despite the fact that it may lead them to lie, steal, or lose a significant relationship, job, or educational opportunity.

(Pathological Gambling, NCI Thesaurus)

Jama says our growing dependence on mobile devices requires patient injury prevention education in order to cut back on cell phone-related injuries.

(Mobile phone could cause physical pain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A child on the watch, came towards them to beg; and Miss Bickerton, excessively frightened, gave a great scream, and calling on Harriet to follow her, ran up a steep bank, cleared a slight hedge at the top, and made the best of her way by a short cut back to Highbury.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)