cutthroat


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

cut·throat

 (kŭt′thrōt′)
n.
1. A murderer, especially one who cuts throats.
2. An unprincipled, ruthless person.
3. A cutthroat trout.
adj.
1. Cruel; murderous.
2. Relentless or merciless in competition: a cutthroat business.
3. Sports & Games Being a form of a game in which each of three or more players acts and scores individually: cutthroat handball; cutthroat bridge.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cut•throat

(ˈkʌtˌθroʊt)

n.
1. a person who cuts throats; murderer.
adj.
2. murderous.
3. ruthless.
4. of or designating a game, as of cards, played by three persons, each scoring individually.
[1525–35]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.cutthroat - someone who murders by cutting the victim's throat
liquidator, manslayer, murderer - a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
Adj.1.cutthroat - ruthless in competition; "cutthroat competition"; "bowelless readiness to take advantage"
merciless, unmerciful - having or showing no mercy; "the merciless enemy"; "a merciless critic"; "gave him a merciless beating"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

cutthroat

nounadjective
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

cutthroat

[ˈkʌtˌθrəʊt]
1. nassassino/a
2. adj (razor) → da barbiere; (business) → spietato/a
cutthroat competition → concorrenza spietata
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
Never had Norman of Torn laid violent hand upon a woman, and his cutthroat band were under oath to respect and protect the sex, on penalty of death.
The Gaucho, although he may be a cutthroat, is a gentleman; the Guaso is in few respects better, but at the same time a vulgar, ordinary fellow.
So saying he visibly smugged and went off to telegraph for a brigade of cutthroats to protect Christian interests.
The Fuwalda, a barkentine of about one hundred tons, was a vessel of the type often seen in coastwise trade in the far southern Atlantic, their crews composed of the offscourings of the sea--unhanged murderers and cutthroats of every race and every nation.
You have no conception, dear, of what would follow were this pack of cutthroats to gain control of the Fuwalda."
A moment later he was moving noiselessly across the campong toward the house in which Professor Maxon lay peacefully sleeping; while at the south gate Bududreen and his six cutthroats crept cautiously within and slunk in the dense shadows of the palisade toward the workshop where lay the heavy chest of their desire.
His alliance with a gang of cutthroats had brought about a lot of cutthroating.
It seemed from the messenger's tale that two of Gr-gr-gr's great males had been set upon by a half-dozen of Hooja's cutthroats while the former were peaceably returning from the thag hunt.
'The History of Jonathan Wild the Great,' a notorious ruffian whose life Defoe also had narrated, aims to show that great military conquerors are only bandits and cutthroats really no more praiseworthy than the humbler individuals who are hanged without ceremony.
Information and experience shared by them will motivate students to achieve their target giving them strength to face the contemporary challenges in such a cutthroat competition.
Once on location, the rig will prepare to spud the SM58 011 well and test Byron's Cutthroat prospect.
An invasive species of fish, the trout has apparently affected the diet and behavior of animals such as cutthroat trout, zooplankton, ospreys, bald eagles, river otters, bears and even elks.