Work cut out meaning in English
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Definition
I have my work cut out for me!: I have a lot of work to do! It will be a difficult job! It should be challenging!
Examples
- "While Wang has his work cut out for him, the idea that China can compete with the traditional European luxury giants in retail and distribution is no longer a hazy prospect, but now a near certainty."
Exercise 1
"While Wang has his work cut out for him, the idea that China can compete with the traditional European luxury giants in the retail and distribution is no longer a hazy prospect..."
"Wang has his work cut out for him" means that Wang .
A "hazy" prospect is prospect.
"Wang has his work cut out for him" means that Wang .
A "hazy" prospect is prospect.
"While Wang has his work cut out for him, the idea that China can compete with the traditional European luxury giants in the retail and distribution is no longer a hazy prospect..."
"Wang has his work cut out for him" means that Wang is faced with a difficult task 1.
A "hazy" prospect is an unrealistic 2 prospect.
"Wang has his work cut out for him" means that Wang is faced with a difficult task 1.
A "hazy" prospect is an unrealistic 2 prospect.
1 is faced with a difficult task : This is correct. If you have your "work cut out (for you)", then you are aware of the task in front of you, and that it will be a challenge to complete it. In the case of Mr. Wang, his mission to make Chinese companies competitive is not easy, but the work which remains to be done is apparent or obvious.
1 has his future planned out: This is incorrect. Although the expression "to have one's work cut out" suggests the idea of future work, it is unrelated to a "planned future". "To have the future planned out" means that the future has been organized and "designed" in a structured and systematic way. "To plan out" is a phrasal verb which has a very similar meaning "to plan": to organize a course of action.
1 is the right person for the job: This is the incorrect definition. "To have one's work cut out" is unrelated to the idea of being the right person for a job. However, we have a different idiom to express that someone is well-suited for a job: "Jimmy is cut out for the job".
1 doesn't need to work for his money: This is the incorrect definition. "To have one's work cut out" is unrelated to the idea of "needing to work for money".
2 an unrealistic: This is correct. The general meaning of "hazy" is "unclear", "confused", or "uncertain". However, in the context of the article, a "hazy prospect" is a prospect which is "unrealistic" or "nearly unobtainable". The full meaning of the whole sentence is that Chinese companies will soon be able to compete with their European equivalents.
2 an expensive: This is incorrect. "Hazy" does not mean "expensive".
2 a crazy: This is incorrect. Although it sounds similar, a "hazy" is not synonymous with "crazy". A "hazy" prospect is unlikely or uncertain; the term is unrelated to madness.
2 a short-sighted: This is incorrect. "Short-sighted" does not mean "hazy". Being "short-sighted" refers to seeing things clearly only that are near, the medical definition is "myopia".
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