1. [n]  the act of shortening something by cutting off the ends; "the barber gave him a good cut"
2. [n]  the act of diluting something; "the cutting of whiskey with water"; "the thinning of paint with turpentine"
3. [n]  the act of cutting something into parts; "his cuts were skillful"; "his cutting of the cake made a terrible mess"
4. [n]  the act of penetrating or opening open with a sharp edge; "his cut in the lining revealed the hidden jewels"
5. [n]  the division of a deck of cards before dealing; "his cutting the cards before every deal soon became a ritual"
6. [n]  cutting away parts to create a desired shape
7. [n]  the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
8. [n]  an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine; "he searched through piles of letters and clippings"
9. [n]  a piece cut off from the main part of something
10. [n]  a part (sometimes a root or leaf or bud) removed from a plant to propagate a new plant through rooting or grafting
11. [adj]  suitable for cutting or severing; "a cutting tool"; "the cutting edge"
12. [adj]  as physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument; "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "lancinating pain"
13. [adj]  unpleasantly cold and damp; "bleak winds of the North Atlantic"
14. [adj]  (of speech) harsh or hurtful in tone or character; "cutting remarks"; "edged satire"; "a stinging comment"

Cutting
A novelist/psychotherapist explains self-mutilation, a psychological disorder affecting an estimated two million Americans.

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1. \Cut"ting\ (k[u^]t"t[i^]ng), n.
   1. The act or process of making an incision, or of severing,
      felling, shaping, etc.
   2. Something cut, cut off, or cut out, as a twig or scion cut
      off from a stock for the purpose of grafting or of rooting
      as an independent plant; something cut out of a newspaper;
      an excavation cut through a hill or elsewhere to make a
      way for a railroad, canal, etc.; a cut.
   

2. \Cut"ting\, a.
   1. Adapted to cut; as, a cutting tool.
   2. Chilling; penetrating; sharp; as, a cutting wind.
   3. Severe; sarcastic; biting; as, a cutting reply.
   

the flesh in various ways was an idolatrous practice, a part of idol-worship (Deut. 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28). The Israelites were commanded not to imitate this practice (Lev. 19:28; 21:5; Deut. 14:1). The tearing of the flesh from grief and anguish of spirit in mourning for the dead was regarded as a mark of affection (Jer. 16:6; 41:5; 48:37).

Allusions are made in Revelation (13:16; 17:5; 19:20) to the practice of printing marks on the body, to indicate allegiance to a deity. We find also references to it, through in a different direction, by Paul (Gal. 6; 7) and by Ezekiel (9:4). (See HAIR.)