cut out — stops working suddenly
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+informalcommon
When a device, appliance or connection stops working, usually for a short time and without warning.
Pattern: [the heating/wifi/line] keeps cutting out
In use
- The heating keeps cutting out, so the flat's freezing in the mornings.describing a fault at home
- A: Is the wifi still playing up?
B: Yeah, it keeps cutting out every few minutes.flatmates
Common mistake
✗ The wifi is cutting off all the time.
✓ The wifi keeps cutting out.
For something that stops by itself, use 'cut out', not 'cut off' (which means someone disconnects it).
Don't confuse it
'Cut out' = stops on its own; 'cut off' = someone/something disconnects it deliberately.