cut your teeth on

Register · Informal Informal — used in casual, everyday conversation among friends and family. Avoid in formal writing or professional settings. CEFR C1

Post

Example

“He cut his teeth on open source before joining a big company.”

Dictionary details

Component words

cut tooth

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

cut loose Informal · CEFR B1

to abandon restraint and behave freely or wildly

cut both ways Neutral · CEFR B2

to produce both helpful and harmful effects or implications

fight tooth and nail Neutral · CEFR B2

To struggle with fierce determination, using every available effort to succeed.

cut a dash Neutral · CEFR C1

to attract admiring attention with a stylish appearance or confident manner

cut and dried Neutral · CEFR C1

fully settled and clear, with little room for debate or alteration

cut and thrust Neutral · CEFR C1

the vigorous back-and-forth of intense argument or competition

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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