make the cut
verbEtymology From the sport of golf, in which players are said to make the cut when they match or exceed a certain score, thus avoiding elimination during the final two rounds of a four-round tournament.
1
Idiomatic, Informal To succeed at something or meet a requirement; to be chosen out of a field of candidates or possibilities.
- Out of a pool of 20 applicants, only three made the cut.
- Related terms
- cutline, make the grade