undercut

American  

[uhn-der-kuht, uhn-der-kuht, uhn-der-kuht] / ˌʌn dərˈkʌt, ˈʌn dərˌkʌt, ˈʌn dərˌkʌt /

verb (used with object)

undercut, undercutting

1. to cut under or beneath.

2. to cut away material from so as to leave a portion overhanging, as in carving or sculpture.

3. to offer goods or services at a lower price or rate than (a competing price or rate) or than that of (a competitor).

4. to weaken or destroy the impact or effectiveness of; undermine.

5. Golf.  to hit (the ball) so as to cause a backspin.

6. Tennis.  to slice (the ball) using an underhand motion.

7. to cut (a sound recording) with grooves too shallow or with insufficient lateral motion of the stylus.

8. Forestry.  to cut a notch in (a tree) in order to control the direction in which the tree is to fall.

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verb (used without object)

undercut, undercutting

1. to undercut material, a competitor, a ball, etc.

noun

1. a cut or a cutting away underneath.

2. a notch cut in a tree to determine the direction in which the tree is to fall and to prevent splitting.

3. a haircut for men or women in which one or both sides and often the back are shaved or cut very short, leaving longer hair at the top of the head.

   an undercut with a side part.

4. Golf.  a backspin.

5. Tennis.  a slice or cut made with an underhand motion.

6. Chiefly British.  a tenderloin of beef including the fillet.

7. Dentistry.  a tooth cavity prepared with a wide base for anchoring a filling securely.

adjective

1. having or resulting from an undercut.

undercut British  

verb

1. to charge less than (a competitor) in order to obtain trade

2. to cut away the under part of (something)

3. sport to hit (a ball) in such a way as to impart backspin

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noun

1. the act or an instance of cutting underneath

2. a part that is cut away underneath

3. a tenderloin of beef, including the fillet

4. forestry a notch cut in a tree trunk, to ensure a clean break in felling

5. sport a stroke that imparts backspin to the ball

Etymology

Origin of undercut

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English undercutten “to cut down”; under-, cut

Example Sentences

"This claim was profoundly undercut by the fact that GPB had explicitly told investors what would happen."

From BBC

British retailers have been highly critical of the loophole, arguing it undercuts high street firms, and wanted the change to be introduced sooner.

From BBC

But technological missteps and changed circumstances in the chip market undercut the effort within a couple of years.

From The Wall Street Journal

But if the Fed were to pause its rate-lowering campaign in December, or end its cutting cycle short of expectations, “that undercuts a key assumption of what’s been fueling the gains,” Calcagni said.

From MarketWatch

The Justice Department had alleged that RealPage allowed competing landlords to share competitive data in real time, giving them confidence to raise prices or eliminate discounts without fearing they would be undercut.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• destabilize
• diminish
• lessen
• thwart
• undermine