to cut his stick

9.9

To leave a place quickly, often to avoid trouble

idiom

: irse

After the meeting got tense, he decided to cut his stick and head home.

Examples

She thought it best to cut her stick before the argument escalated.
As soon as they realized trouble was brewing, Sam chose to cut his stick.
Don't cut his stick without saying goodbye!
Why did you cut his stick so suddenly?
After the meeting got tense, he decided to cut his stick and head home.
As soon as they realized trouble was brewing, Sam chose to cut his stick.
She thought it best to cut her stick before the argument escalated.

Synonyms

to leave

vsto cut his stick

∞ 1.0

To go away from a place, person, or group

is more sudden and unexpected than this general departure

to get out of here

vsto cut his stick

Informal

∞ 3.0

Leave a place quickly or suddenly

is similarly abrupt but focuses on unexpected withdrawal

to walk away

vsto cut his stick

632 3.5

Leave a person, place, or situation without taking part anymore

is often more sudden and less measured than this action

to withdraw

vsto cut his stick

466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

focuses more on sudden exit rather than gradual distancing

to ditch

vsto cut his stick

Informal

234 4.4

To abandon a person, plan, or thing suddenly

is similar in suddenness but not necessarily irresponsible

to pull out

vsto cut his stick

206 3.4

To stop being involved in an activity or agreement

leans more toward sudden leaving of a place or event

to blow

vsto cut his stick

Informal

175 8.4

To leave a place quickly or suddenly

is similar but often stresses a sudden personal exit

to walk out of

vsto cut his stick

Informal

164 3.1

To leave a meeting or event suddenly to show you disagree

is abrupt in many settings, not only formal events

outta here

vsto cut his stick

Informal

156 9.9

To leave a place quickly, often suddenly

is the same quick exit without the casual signal

to walk out

vsto cut his stick

Informal

112 3.4

Leave a place suddenly because you are angry or protesting

is abrupt but not always linked to protest

to pull out of

vsto cut his stick

79 3.2

Leave an activity or agreement you had joined

is more about a sudden physical exit from a place

to walk off

vsto cut his stick

Informal

37 3.5

To leave a place suddenly to show you are angry or upset

can be abrupt but may lack visible annoyance

to take a hike

vsto cut his stick

Informal

37 8.1

Tell someone to leave in a rude way

can indicate a sudden exit but is not always an order

to bow out

vsto cut his stick

20 4.9

To stop doing a job or role politely

contrasts by being cruder and more sudden than polite exit

to push off

vsto cut his stick

Informal

14 6.8

Leave a place or start a journey

often implies a sudden withdrawal rather than travel start

to shove off

vsto cut his stick

Informal

12 7.7

Leave a place quickly, often in a rude way

can be abrupt as well but not necessarily rude

to dip out

vsto cut his stick

Informal

1 9.1

To leave a place quietly or suddenly without telling others

is abrupt too but may be more obvious or loud

to drop off

vsto cut his stick

1 4.0

To move back from a place or position, often to a safer spot

is more often a sudden abrupt departure rather than slow retreat

to blow this popsicle stand

vsto cut his stick

Informal

1 9.9

To leave a place quickly because you do not want to be there

shares sudden departure but lacks the playful idiom tone

off like a dirty shirt

vsto cut his stick

Archaic

1 9.9

Leave a place very quickly

is like this but less colorful in tone

to pop off

vsto cut his stick

1 7.9

To leave a place quickly, often without saying goodbye

matches sudden exit but can be more general

to pick up one's marbles and go home

vsto cut his stick

Informal

1 9.9

To leave a group or activity because you do not get your way

can be abrupt too but does not always show anger

to go offski

vsto cut his stick

Slang

9.9

To leave a place suddenly, usually to go somewhere else

is abrupt too but may lack eagerness

to take your hook

vsto cut his stick

Archaic

9.9

Leave a place quickly because you are not welcome

is likewise abrupt but less idiomatic

to pick up one's marbles

vsto cut his stick

Informal

9.1

Leave a meeting or project because you are upset

is abrupt withdrawal but not always caused by conflict

to shove along

vsto cut his stick

Informal

8.1

To leave a place quickly, often in a rude way

may be abrupt like this but not always rude

to sling one's hook

vsto cut his stick

Archaic

9.9

To leave quickly because people do not want you there

is also abrupt but not tied to being unwelcome

Antonyms

to stay

∞ 1.0

To remain in one place and not leave

to arrive

∞ 1.0

To reach a place, especially at the end of a journey

How Abrupt

to abscond

Formal

11 8.5

to bolt

69 2.3

to cut his stick

9.9

to take off

273 3.2

to depart

176 1.3

to leave

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cut his stick infinitive

cut his stick past

cut his stick past participle

cutting his stick present participle

cuts his stick third person singular

Morphology

cut + his + stick

The literal words ('cut' + 'his' + 'stick') suggest physically cutting an object and do not transparently yield the sense 'to depart'; 'his' only marks possession and 'stick' is undefined here, removing any compositional clue. The idiomatic sense ('cut one's stick' = leave) is dialectal and sense-shifted from the constituent meanings, so a typical B1 learner who knows the parts would not reliably infer this meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

Cut his stick may come from a simple image: when travellers wanted to leave, they would cut a short stick to carry and then set off. So, to cut his stick came to mean 'to leave' quickly or suddenly.