Meaning of DOESN'T CUT IT and UP TO SNUFF - A Really Short English Lesson with Subtitles

So in English, when we say something doesn't cut it,

it means that it is not of good enough quality

or it's just not good enough.

Maybe we were looking for a certain level

of quality in something

and it is not close to that level,

so we would say it doesn't cut it.

Let's think of an example.

Maybe you work at a bakery

and your job is to make batches of cookies.

Maybe you need to make batches of cookies

and your boss comes in every once in a while

and tries the cookies,

and every once in a while says,

this batch of cookies doesn't cut it.

What they would mean, if they say that,

is that that batch of cookies doesn't taste right,

maybe that batch of cookies doesn't look right,

and they would express that by saying

this batch of cookies doesn't cut it.

So, when you say that something doesn't cut it in English,

it means that it's just not of the quality

that you were looking for.

Hey, we have another phrase as well

that we could use almost the same way,

and that is to say that something is either up to snuff

or isn't up to snuff.

So in the example with doesn't cut it,

we were talking about cookies.

Your boss could also say

this batch of cookies is not up to snuff.

That would mean that the batch of cookies isn't good enough.

That the batch of cookies doesn't cut it.

But in a positive way,

if the cookies were really good, you could say,

oh, these are totally up to snuff.

These are up to snuff

and ready to sell to people who like to eat cookies.

So, two phrases for you today,

something doesn't cut it,

it means it is of bad quality.

If something is up to snuff,

it means that it is of good enough quality

to use or to sell.

Bob the Canadian here,

and you're learning English with me,

have a great day.