to cut to ribbons
2
7.4
- idiom
- Informal
:
destruir
- In the final debate, she cut her opponent to ribbons with her compelling arguments.
Examples
-
The team's performance was so poor that the critics cut them to ribbons in their reviews.
-
My men will cut you to ribbons.
-
I damn near got cut to ribbons.
-
I will cut you to ribbons, fool!
-
I'll cut him to ribbons.
-
They'll cut us to ribbons.
-
If you're trying to throw this fight, I'll hold you up for 10 rounds and let him cut you to ribbons.
-
They cut my mate to ribbons when she defended our nest.
Fiction book (1994) -
She wanted to back Cy into a corner and cut him to ribbons, while his arrogant mother stood by helplessly and watched.
Fiction book (1991) -
After the match, the coach warned the players that they would be cut to ribbons if they didn't improve.
Synonyms
557
1.7
Beat someone completely in a contest or game
112
2.6
To tear something into small thin pieces
62
4.1
Cause serious harm to people or things with a sharp object
15
7.5
Completely crushed or badly damaged by force
10
6.9
Tear something into many pieces or say very bad things about it
8
5.4
Break something into many small parts or hurt someone very badly
Antonyms
How Destroyed
- NSFW
63
7.5
- Informal
2
7.4
932
2.1
885
1.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
cut + to + ribbons
The expression evokes the literal image of cutting something into many pieces, so a learner who knows 'cut' and 'ribbons' can plausibly infer a sense of thorough damage or shredding. However, its conventionalized use to mean 'defeat completely' or 'severely criticize' requires a metaphorical transfer from physical destruction to abstract defeat/criticism, which is not fully predictable for all learners.
Etymology
Cut to ribbons may come from the simple picture of cutting a piece of cloth or paper into many thin strips so it is ruined and useless, with it literally cut into ribbons. So, the phrase now means 'to destroy or defeat completely'.