cuts someone off at the knees

A form of cut someone off at the knees — To abruptly thwart someone, shut them down, or put them in their place.

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Meanings

verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of cut someone off at the knees
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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