cut both ways
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Have both good and bad effects.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
Such a tax is often claimed to encourage saving but the argument can cut both ways.
The subsidiarity principle (taking decisions at the lowest practicable level of government), which the British government makes much of, is drafted in a form so soft that it will cut both ways if it cuts at all.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Figurative class: Metaphor (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “cut both ways” mean?
Have both good and bad effects.
Is “cut both ways” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.