unkindest cut

the (most) unkindest cut (of all)

The most heartless, demoralizing, or treacherous action, remark, or outcome possible. A reference to a line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, describing Caesar's death at the hands of his friends. But the unkindest cut was watching the man I considered my best friend move in with my ex-wife the second I moved out. Even my teachers stood there laughing at me. That was the most unkindest cut of all. Seeing such a beloved character turned into such an absurd parody of herself, well, that's the unkindest cut of all for longtime fans of the series.
See also: cut, unkind
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

unkindest cut

The worst insult, ultimate treachery, as in And then, the unkindest cut of all-my partner walks out on me just when the deal is about to go through . This expression was invented by Shakespeare in describing Julius Caesar's stabbing to death by his friends in Julius Caesar (3:2): "This was the most unkindest cut of all."
See also: cut, unkind
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • the (most) unkindest cut (of all)
  • the most unkindest cut of all
  • Greek to me
  • Greek to me, it's
  • (it's) (all) Greek to me
  • be all Greek to someone
  • it's all Greek to me
  • Greek
  • Greek to
  • Greek to someone
References in periodicals archive
While it has been called the unkindest cut of all, it is a very real part of the process, and Trubisky and all of his teammates know what they're signing up for.
Perhaps the unkindest cut of all was the powerful Saudi crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman inking a $75 billion mega deal with Mukesh Ambani chairman of India's largest business house the Reliance group.
AMID widespread applause for his policy pronouncements and actions since taking office on May 29, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State got an 'unkindest cut' (apologies to Shakespeare) last week.
But like the best Greek theater, Maestra Adela's new public presence as kundiman master brings the unkindest cut of all-her pianist Ludwig beaten up by the regime's thugs trying to frighten her into silence.
The 'unkindest cut of all' came when the government recently expanded its spying powers to an unprecedented level -- granting 10 agencies the power to intercept, monitor and decrypt data from citizens.
It is the unkindest cut for Modi who prides himself on being a better orator than Atal Behari Vajpayee.
It's summer and yes, it's that time of year for the unkindest cut, at least if you're an uncircumcised boy of 10 or 11 (or 24).
Uhuru's recent chess game has forced everyone back to the drawing board, with NASA leaders, particularly Kalonzo, receiving the unkindest cut of all.
Perhaps one of the most unkindest cut of all was delivered by Atambayev to Turkey.
Perhaps the unkindest cut of all for the miners came when, in the face of little or no compen- sation for victims and survivors of the shootings, a bonanza of possible benefits for the police force was announced by police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko at a separate occasion in Pretoria, a couple of hundred kilometres from Rustenburg.
Perhaps the unkindest cut of all for the miners came when, in the face of little or no compensation for victims and survivors of the shootings, a bonanza of possible benefits for the police force was announced by police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko at a separate occasion in Pretoria, a couple of hundred kilometres from Rustenburg.
In his essay, The Most Unkindest Cut of All (referring to the hell of the holocaust in World War II) he used Shakespeare's telling of Mark Anthony's speech to relate how Brutus destroyed Caesar, the man who "loved" him.
One more thing: some of us Africans like to give our dead relatives a decent send-off, and the "most unkindest cut of all" occurs when this worthy sentiment is exploited to fleece us.
Winning trainer Eve Johnson Houghton said: "this filly's owner-breeder Heather Raw is having an unbelievable run as she has a share in Ganymede, so she's had four runners this year and four wins - i hope she doesn't expect me to keep up that form all year!" Live It for Royal Ascot one life live it put on the playboy act to live up to his name ahead of the 7f handicap but knuckled down when John Egan asked him to keep his unbeaten record, although it will not save him from the unkindest cut as owner lee Man Bun will be racing him in Hong Kong next season.
And he may need to beat current world champion Gary Anderson to survive the unkindest cut in darts.