Couper (en. Cut)

[ku.pe]

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
verb
To divide something into parts.
You need to cut the cake into pieces.
Il faut couper le gâteau en morceaux.
To make something stop.
He decided to cut ties with his past.
Il a décidé de couper les ponts avec son passé.
To interrupt an action.
She had to cut off the conversation.
Elle a dû couper la conversation.
To reduce the size of something.
He cut his hair very short.
Il a coupé ses cheveux très courts.

Etymology

From Latin ‘co-operare’, which means ‘to work together’.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to cut someone off
To interrupt someone while they are speaking.
couper la parole
to split hairs
To be very meticulous or picky.
couper les cheveux en quatre
to cut short
To end something quickly.
couper court
to burn one's bridges
To sever ties permanently with someone or something.
couper les ponts

Related Words

cutting
The action of cutting things into pieces.
découpe
cut
The tool or action of cutting.
coupe
windbreaker
Clothing that protects from the wind.
coupe-vent

Slang Meanings

To stop doing something.
He decided to cut away from that life.
Il a décidé de couper avec cette vie.
To dilute or cut (in the sense of mixing).
He cut his product with salt.
Il a coupé son produit avec du sel.