Home UK English throat-cutter

Meaning of throat-cutter in English:

throat-cutter

Pronunciation /ˈθrəʊtˌkʌtə/

noun

Scottish

  • A person who or (occasionally) a thing which cuts throats; especially a murderer or executioner who kills in this way. In later use frequently figurative: a person who engages in harmful or ruthless behaviour; a ruthless competitor, especially with regard to business or commerce; compare to cut the throat of, "cutthroat".

Origin

Mid 16th century; earliest use found in Robert Sempill (d. ?1595), poet and protestant controversialist. From throat + cutter.