cut someone off at the knees

verb

To abruptly thwart someone, shut them down, or put them in their place.

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Meanings

verbcut someone off at the knees (third-person singular simple present cuts someone off at the knees, present participle cutting someone off at the knees, simple past and past participle cut someone off at the knees)

present singular third person cuts someone off at the knees · participle present cutting someone off at the knees · alternative cut someone off at their knees

  1. To abruptly thwart someone, shut them down, or put them in their place.
Cite this entry
APA

cut someone off at the knees. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20someone%20off%20at%20the%20knees

MLA

“cut someone off at the knees.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20someone%20off%20at%20the%20knees. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cut someone off at the knees,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20someone%20off%20at%20the%20knees.

Source: cut someone off at the knees on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.