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Glite Dictionary
jump-cut

jump-cut

7.6
A sudden cut between shots in a film that shows time passing or makes the action jump
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒʌmpˌkʌt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : corte abrupto
  • One of the most useful things film has given fiction is the clean, quick transition called the jump cut.

Examples

  • The video editor added a jump-cut that made the scene feel much more dynamic and engaging.

  • When I say RIP off, I don't know, but he's doing like David Dobrik style vlogs, like really short, tons of jump cuts, high intensity.

  • In the film, the director used a jump-cut to create a surprising shift in the storyline.

  • After the dramatic scene, the jump-cut to a peaceful landscape provided a stark contrast.

Synonyms

jump
vsjump-cut
  • Specialized
8 6.7

An abrupt change from one film scene to another

is more about a clear break in continuity or showing time passing
jump cut
vsjump-cut
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A sudden change between two film shots that makes action or time seem to skip

is the same meaning but written with a hyphen
cut-in
vsjump-cut
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A short shot shown in a scene to give a detail or reaction

is an abrupt change between moving shots rather than a still insertion

How Abrupt

jump-cut
  • Specialized
7.6
to cut
  • Informal
343 2.8
to fade
531 1.2
dissolve
  • Specialized
4 6.6

Surface Forms

jump-cut singular
jump-cuts plural

Morphology

jump-cut = jump + cut (transparent) = jump + cut

The compound is a straightforward noun-noun formation: a 'cut' characterized by a 'jump' (suddenness), so learners can derive the meaning from its parts.

Etymology

The word jump-cut comes from the two parts jump and cut: jump means a sudden move or 'jump forward', and cut is an editor's change between shots. So, a jump-cut makes the picture 'jump' by creating a sudden break in time or the flow of a scene.