The phrasal verb "cut up" is predominantly used in informal speech rather than formal settings. It has several meanings depending on the context, such as to physically cut something into smaller pieces, express emotional distress, or to behave in a highly energetic or humorous manner. For instance, when used to describe emotions, someone might say "He was really cut up about the bad news," indicating they were very upset. In the context of humor, "cutting up" refers to joking or clowning around in an energetic way, as in "The kids were cutting up in the back of the class." Additionally, it can be utilized when talking about preparing food, as in "She cut up the vegetables for the stew." The versatility of "cut up" in expressing various activities or states of emotion makes it commonly used in everyday conversation and informal writing.
A2
Elementary
1. To cut something into smaller pieces.
Please cut up the vegetables for the salad.
The artist cut up strips of paper to create her collage.
2. To behave in a lively, silly, or unruly manner.
The kids cut up during the assembly, making everyone laugh.
He's always cutting up when he's with his friends, clowning around and not taking things seriously.