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Glite Dictionary
to cut a dash

to cut a dash

7.2
To attract attention by looking smart and stylish
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : llamar la atención
  • Look at her! She really cut a dash today!

Examples

  • Even in casual settings, he manages to cut a dash with his sense of style.

  • They certainly cut a dash when they entered the restaurant in designer clothes.

  • At the awards ceremony, she cut a dash with her sparkling gown and confident smile.

  • He cut a dash in his new suit.

  • He wore a stylish suit to the gala, determined to cut a dash among the guests.

  • When she arrived at the party in her elegant dress, she certainly knew how to cut a dash.

  • The new sports car was designed to cut a dash on the road, turning heads wherever it went.

Synonyms

to look sharp
vsto cut a dash
  • Informal
11 5.7

To be well dressed and neat

aims for a stronger, more noticeable impression beyond neat dressing
to cut a figure
vsto cut a dash
  • Informal
7.6

To stand out and make people notice you

emphasizes stylish appearance as the main way to impress

Antonyms

to blend in
20 3.7

Be similar to people or things around you so you are not noticed

How Striking

to steal the show
  • Informal
14 3.7
to turn heads
  • Informal
7 4.4
to cut a dash
  • Informal
7.2
to blend in
20 3.7

Surface Forms

cut a dash infinitive
cut a dash past
cut a dash past participle
cutting a dash present participle
cuts a dash third person singular

Morphology

cut + a + dash

The overall meaning is related to the constituents — 'cut' (style/shape) plus 'dash' (stylish manner) — but the verb+noun combination is somewhat idiomatic and depends on a less frequent sense of 'dash' and an extended use of 'cut'. A B1 learner who knows the basic word meanings would not reliably predict the idiomatic sense without prior exposure, so it is only partly transparent.

Etymology

Cut a dash may come from clothes-making. Tailors cut cloth into a sharp, smart shape and a 'dash' was a bold show, so someone who cut a dash stood out for looking stylish, which is why it now means 'to make a strong impression'.