[See CUT v. 63.]
1. One who cuts throats; a ruffian who murders or does deeds of violence; a murderer or assassin by profession.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 449. Thir cankerit cutthrottis of crudelitie.
1694. trans. Milton’s Lett. State, May an. 1658. Those sanctifi’d Cut-throats.
1793. Ld. Auckland’s Corr., III. 109. A corps franc, raised on the frontiers of Hungary … I never saw such a set of desperate cut-throats.
1889. Froude, Two Chiefs of Dunboy, xxv. 380. I am a soldier, sir, and not a cut-throat.
b. transf. and fig.
1583. Babington, Commandm., x. Wks. (1637), 93. It is the very tryed cut-throat of all amity, friendship, [etc.].
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, VII. xxix. 855. There is no greater a cut-throte to dogs than the wild bore.
1878. W. Black, Goldsmith, xii. 102. A paid libeller and cut-throat of public reputations.
† 2. A kind of fire-arm; cf. murderer. Obs.
1566. in Thomson, Invent. (1815), 169 (Jam.). Item, sex cutthrottis of irne with their mekis.
1567. Sempill Ballates (1872), 2. Cunning of crosbow cutthrot and culuering.
† 3. A dark lantern. Obs.
1783. Bailey, Cut-throat, also a kind of lantern.
1825. Jamieson, Cut-throat, a dark lantern or bowet … so constructed that the light may be completely obscured, when … necessary for the perpetration of any criminal act.
4. The Mustang grape of Texas, having an acrid taste.
Century Dict. refers to Sportsman’s Gazetteer.
5. More fully cut-throat finch: a bird-fancier’s name for Amadina fasciata, the Red-collared Bengaly of Swainson, a small West African bird, the male of which has a red mark round the throat.
[Here cut is the pa. pple. qualifying throat.]
1872. Revised List Vertebr. Anim. Zool. Gard., 137. Cut-throat Finch.
1873. Spectator, 22 Feb., 240/1. Here are ‘Cut-throats,’ the male with a murderous red mark round his soft neck, the female without it.
1891. Bazaar, 20 Feb. Cut-throats, silver bills, waxbills … spice birds, Java sparrows.
6. attrib. That is, or has the character of, a cutthroat or assassin; of or pertaining to cutthroats; murderous, ruffianly.
1567. Drant, Hor. Epist., vi. D ij. A cut throte rutterkin.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 112. You call me misbeleeuer, cut-throate dog.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Cut-Throat Place, an Inn or Tavern, where people are exacted upon.
1874. Dasent, Half a Life, II. 110. A cut-throat lonely place.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 24 Nov., 12/1. Cut-throat competition is not for gentlemen.
[Cut-throat Lane, a frequent local appellation of a lonely lane.]
7. Comb., as cutthroat-like adj.
1611. Cotgr., Meurtrierement, murtherously, cruelly, cut-throat-like.
Hence (nonce-wds.) Cut-throat v. trans., to cut the throat of. Cut-throatry, -ery, practice proper to a cutthroat. Cut-throatish, Cut-throatly adjs., pertaining or proper to a cutthroat.
a. 1625. Beaumont & Fl., Laws of Candy, IV. ii. Money … Is now a god on earth. It … Bribes Justice, cut-throats Honour.
1606. Wily Beguiled, in Hazl., Dodsley, IX. 229. For to let my house before my lease be out, is cut-throatery.
1870. Echo, 15 Dec. They look more cut-throatish than ever.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., 32. If God made Man … as he [Mr. Hobbs] saies, in such a cut-throatly condition.
