Cut one's name

[Joel S. Berson]

I don't think it's a (mixed metaphor? blend?).  Rather, "to inscribe
permanently or deeply, as on a monument or honor roll."

It tales a while to search "cut, v."in the OED.  Some possible
ancestral relatives:

16.b. To come across, strike, hit upon (a path, etc.). esp. U.S. with trail.

VI. To shape, fashion, form, or make by cutting.
  23.a. To make or form by cutting (e.g. a statue, engraving, seal,
jewel, etc.), to sculpture or carve (a statue or image), to engrave
(a plate, seal, etc.), to fashion (a stone or jewel), to shape
(garments, utensils, etc.).

Or perhaps another ancestral relative?

25. To perform or execute (an action, gesture, or display of a
grotesque, striking, or notable kind): chiefly in certain established
phrases, as to cut a caper [etc.].

Joel

At 6/20/2012 08:32 AM, Stephen Goranson wrote:
>Cut one's teeth plus made one's name?
>
>Stephen
>________________________________________
>From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of
>Dave Wilton [dave at WILTON.NET]
>Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 7:54 AM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: [ADS-L] Cut one's name
>
>Saw an odd phrase this morning on OUP's blog, which I guess makes it British
>but probably still of interest to the list. "Cut one's name" meaning "built
>one's reputation." I've never seen, or at least noticed, this construction
>before. A quick Google search turns up nothing but literal references to
>carving one's name in trees or other objects. (Although other examples may
>be buried in there somewhere.)
>
>"This is the context in which Alan Turing cut his name as a cryptographer
>during the Second World War."
>
>http://blog.oup.com/2012/06/alan-turing-cryptographic-legacy/
>
>--Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org