cut the ground from under someone's feet

verb

To thwart someone's plans by anticipating them and preventing their success.

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Meanings

verbcut the ground from under someone's feet (third-person singular simple present cuts the ground from under someone's feet, present participle cutting the ground from under someone's feet, simple past and past participle cut the ground from under someone's feet)

present singular third person cuts the ground from under someone's feet · participle present cutting the ground from under someone's feet

  1. To thwart someone's plans by anticipating them and preventing their success.
Cite this entry
APA

cut the ground from under someone's feet. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20ground%20from%20under%20someone's%20feet

MLA

“cut the ground from under someone's feet.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20ground%20from%20under%20someone's%20feet. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cut the ground from under someone's feet,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20ground%20from%20under%20someone's%20feet.

Source: cut the ground from under someone's feet on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.