   Cut It On / Cut It OffIn Southern and Appalachian speech, cut it on and cut it off mean "turn it on" and "turn it off" - a signature regional way of talking about switches, appliances, and lights. synonyms: turn it on, turn it off, switch on, switch off Hillbilly Dude Says...  We say 'cut the light or tv or fan off' in our house, and it's a common one down here. Hillbilly Dude Says... We say 'cut the light or tv or fan off' in our house, and it's a common one down here. Pronunciation[KUT-it ON / KUT-it OFF] /kʌt ɪt ɒn/ - /kʌt ɪt ɔːf/ Meaning & Usage- To turn something on or off (saying/command)
Mama:
Cut the stove off before it burns!
Junior:
Okay! And I cut the porch light on, too.variations: cut it on, cut it off, cut the light on, cut the stove off, cut the TV on ★ "Cut" in this sense doesn’t mean slice - it’s an old verb for "operate" or "switch." In Southern homes, "cut it on/off" is as common as "turn it on/off" elsewhere. ★ Origin and Etymology"Cut it on/off" descends from older Scots-Irish and British English usages of "cut" meaning "switch" or "start/stop." This form persisted in the South and Appalachia and has been documented since at least the early 20th century. It’s one of the best-known Southernisms noted by outsiders. Usage Notes
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