Monday, January 4, 2010

Southern Word of the Week - Cut on and cut off



(v.) Cut that light on right quick so I can see what I'm doing.
(v.) Cut the fan off when you leave so you don't waste power.
(v.) Cut the heat down, I'm about to burn slap up in here!

To cut something on or off is to apply power to, or cut power off to an electric device such as a light, fan, or heating and cooling unit.

Some people argue cut would mean to stop something from happening, or to interrupt an action, but for whatever reason to us it means that if something is on, turn (cut) it off and if something is off, turn (cut) it on.

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1 comments:

Anonymous said...

My Dad was on the faculty of a high profile school, and the accreditation team from Texas was visiting Illinois. He told me he could not connect with these guys, What could he say in "Texas slang" because he felt things were not going well. Living in Dallas at the time, I suggested that he ask if they could cut him some slack. It was smooth sailing after that.