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Glite Dictionary
to cut in line

to cut in line

8 3.8
Move ahead of people in a line without waiting for your turn
  • phrasal verb
  • US
translation icon : colarse
  • You may want to remind him that it's not acceptable to cut in line at the ticket booth.
  • let her cut in line
  • try to cut in line
  • people cutting in line

Examples

  • She was furious when someone tried to cut in line ahead of her at the concert.

  • If someone cuts me off on the road or cuts in line at the bank or a checkout, I'm grateful that I'm not in such a hurry that I forget my manners (and that I have manners to begin with).

    Blog text (24)

  • Have you ever had someone cut in line while you were waiting to check out of a store?

    Blog text (8)

  • People were nice enough to let me cut in line.

    Blog text (13)

  • Hey, man, i'm sick and tired of you cutting in line.

    Holes (2003)

  • What I've had it with is when people cut in line at a double drive through.

  • Watch an Ohio flight boarding, and the first thing you'll notice is that nobody is cutting in line.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Stop cutting in line!

    Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)

  • Sure, I could cut, but have you ever seen the look on people's faces when you cut in line after they've been sitting there for hours?

    Blog text (28)

  • It's rude to cut in line when everyone else is waiting their turn.

Synonyms

to cut in front of
vsto cut in line
7 4.0

To move suddenly and rudely in front of someone while waiting or driving

is broader meaning move ahead of others while waiting rather than sudden action
to push in
vsto cut in line
  • UK
5 5.6

To join a line or enter a place without waiting your turn

is simply to move ahead without specifying rudeness or disruption
to jump the queue
vsto cut in line
  • UK
1 4.8

Move ahead of people waiting in a line to skip your turn

is moving ahead without waiting but without stressing unfair skipping
to jip the line
vsto cut in line
  • Informal
9.9

To cut in line without taking your turn

is the same unfair act but stated more neutrally

Antonyms

in line
261 1.1

Standing one behind another waiting to get something

How Rude

to cut in line
  • US
8 3.8
to push in
  • UK
5 5.6

Surface Forms

cut in line infinitive
cut in line past
cut in line past participle
cutting in line present participle
cuts in line third person singular

Morphology

cut + in + line

The meaning 'to move ahead of others in a queue' is directly inferable from the parts: 'cut' (to traverse/cross quickly) + 'in' (into) + 'line' (queue) yields the image of cutting into the line ahead of others. This compositional logic is literal and mirrors constructions in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to understand the expression.

Etymology

Cut in line comes from the picture of someone using cut to break into a waiting line, stepping between people to go ahead. So, it means 'to move ahead of others in a queue without waiting'.