cut the line

Meaning

This expression means to push in front of other people who are already waiting in a queue or line, instead of waiting your turn at the back. It is considered very rude in most cultures. The tone is usually annoyed, confrontational, or defensive. In British English, this is often called 'jump the queue'.

Examples

• Hey, don't cut the line! We've been waiting here for twenty minutes.

  Hey, don't cut the line! We've been waiting here for twenty minutes.

• A guy tried to cut the line at the coffee shop, but the barista called him out.

  A guy tried to cut the line at the coffee shop, but the barista called him out.

• It's extremely rude to cut the line when everyone else is waiting patiently.

  It's extremely rude to cut the line when everyone else is waiting patiently.

• She let her friend cut the line in front of her, which made everyone else angry.

  She let her friend cut the line in front of her, which made everyone else angry.

• I hate when people pretend they didn't see the queue and just cut the line.

  I hate when people pretend they didn't see the queue and just cut the line.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He cutted the line to get his ticket first.

  ✓ He cut the line to get his ticket first.

  The verb 'cut' is irregular. Its past tense form is also 'cut', never 'cutted'.

• ✗ She cut the line of the bus.

  ✓ She cut the line for the bus.

  We say 'cut the line for [something]' or 'cut in line at [a place]', not 'cut the line of [something]'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We had to wait an hour because so many people tried to ___ at the entrance.

  💡 push ahead of others waiting

  Show answer

  cut the line

• Excuse me, the back of the queue is over there; please don't ___.

  💡 skip ahead of us

  Show answer

  cut the line