daisy cutter
C2Specialized / Technical / Informal (depending on context)
Definition
Meaning
A military bomb designed to create a large blast area with low penetration, historically used to clear vegetation.
1. A sports shot, especially in cricket or baseball, that travels low and fast close to the ground. 2. A type of lawnmower set to cut grass very short. 3. (Informal) Something that flattens or levels an area completely.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term's meaning is highly domain-specific. In military contexts, it is technical jargon. In sports, it is a vivid metaphor based on the core meaning of cutting something low (like the daisies). The connotation can shift from destructive (military) to skillful or challenging (sports).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term in military and sports contexts. The lawnmower sense is more common in British English. The cricket usage ('daisy-cutter') is predominantly British/Commonwealth; the baseball usage is American.
Connotations
In military use, connotations are similarly technical/lethal in both regions. In British sports commentary, it can imply a tricky, skilful delivery. In American sports, it often describes a powerful, ground-level hit.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse. Slightly higher in British English due to cricket usage. Recognizable in American English primarily through military reporting and baseball.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Verb] + daisy cutter (e.g., deploy, drop, use)daisy cutter + [Preposition] + [Noun] (e.g., daisy cutter in cricket, daisy cutter on the fairway)Adjective + daisy cutter (e.g., infamous daisy cutter)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cut the daisies down (rare, metaphorical)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in military history, studies of conventional weapons, and occasionally in sports science literature.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used by sports enthusiasts or in historical discussions.
Technical
Standard term in military ordnance for a specific class of bombs. Technical term in sports commentary for a specific type of delivery/batted ball.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bowler daisy-cut one right through the batsman's defences.
- The artillery barrage seemed to daisy-cut the entire woodline.
American English
- He daisy-cut a line drive right past the shortstop.
- The bombing run was designed to daisy-cutter the enemy position.
adjective
British English
- It was a classic daisy-cutter delivery.
- The daisy-cutter blast left a perfectly flat circle.
American English
- He hit a daisy-cutter single up the middle.
- The daisy-cutter effect of the munition was evident.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bomb was very big. It is called a daisy cutter.
- In cricket, a ball that rolls along the ground is sometimes called a daisy cutter.
- The military used a daisy cutter bomb to clear a large landing zone in the jungle.
- The journalist's investigation revealed the strategic use of daisy cutters to devastate wide surface areas while limiting subterranean damage.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a lawnmower set so low it cuts the heads off daisies. Now imagine a bomb that does the same to everything in a large, flat area.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESTRUCTION/LEVELING IS MOWING; A LOW TRAJECTORY IS A CUTTING ACTION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'маргариткокосилка' (nonsensical). In military contexts, use official or descriptive terms like 'фугасная бомба объёмного взрыва' or 'бомба для выравнивания территории'. In sports, use descriptive phrases like 'удар (подача) впритык к земле'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'daisy cutter' to refer to any large bomb (it's a specific type).
- Confusing it with 'carpet bomber' (an aircraft).
- Using it in general conversation where it would be misunderstood.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'daisy cutter' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, highly specialized term. Most people will only encounter it in specific contexts like military history or sports commentary.
Yes. In sports (cricket/baseball/golf), it describes a ball that travels very low to the ground, which is a skillful or challenging play, not a destructive one. It can also refer to a type of lawnmower.
The BLU-82B 'Daisy Cutter' was a 15,000-pound conventional bomb used by the US military, notably in the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, to clear landing zones and destroy surface targets.
The name is a grimly humorous metaphor suggesting the bomb's massive blast pressure and thermal effect would cut everything down to ground level, as if mowing daisies.