Very distressed (3,2) Crossword Clue
Answer: CUT UP (3,2 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Very distressed" with 5 letters is "CUT UP". CUT UP refers to someone being deeply upset, distressed, or emotionally troubled. In idiomatic English, when a person is described as “cut up,” it means they are severely affected by something—often bad news, loss, or a difficult emotional experience.
Why “Cut Up” Fits
Very distressed: “Cut up” is an idiomatic phrasal verb meaning to be very upset, distressed, or saddened about something, so it matches “very distressed” directly. Learner and idiom dictionaries gloss “(be) cut up” as “to be very upset,” giving examples like “She was very cut up about her grandmother’s death” and “I was terribly cut up when she left,” which clearly convey strong emotional distress.
A Bit of Background
“Cut up” in this sense is especially common in British and Australian English:
- Meaning and usage: Phrasal-verb and idiom references explain that when someone is “cut up” or “cut up about” something, they are deeply hurt, grieving, or emotionally shaken, not just mildly disappointed.
- This meaning appears alongside other senses of “cut up” (like to chop into pieces or to clown around), but the emotional-distress sense is clearly marked and well-attested, including classic literary examples such as Dickens.
Crossword Solving Insight
For a clue like “Very distressed (3,2)”:
- Definition match: “Very distressed” is a natural paraphrase of the idiom “cut up (about something),” which idiom dictionaries explicitly equate with “very upset” or “very sad.”
- Enumeration: CUT UP fits perfectly into the (3,2) pattern: CUT (3) + UP (2).
- Idiomatic strength: Because “cut up” is a well-known British-style idiom for deep emotional upset, it is a neat, concise answer that solvers familiar with common phrasal verbs will recognise immediately for this clue.
This tight fit in both idiomatic meaning and letter pattern makes CUT UP an excellent solution to “Very distressed (3,2).”
