Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to run off, to escape.

[1759		Gent. Mag. 29 576/2: The Soleil Royal, which under cover of the night had anchored among us, cut and run ashore [...] I made the Essex’s signal to slip and pursue her].
1781		Gent. Mag. 51 290/2: The French commodore, rinding his situation too hot, cut and run, as his second had done before him.
1798		Anti-Jacobin Mag. Aug. 231: For when needs must, as all men know, / Discretion says, ’twere best to go; / If in a storm you cannot shun it, / The safest way’s to cut and run it.
1798		Sporting Mag. 12 57/1: He‘s had — he’ finsh’d — he‘s tipt all nine! / He’s split — he’s cut and run.
1809		B.H. Malkin (trans.) Adventures of Gil Blas (1822) II 173: If it took, well and good! if not, we had only to cut and run.
1821		‘A Real Paddy’ Real Life in Ireland 283: He would not, as [...] others did, affect to be heroes on the parade, and in the battle cut and run.
1830		Owl (NY) 10 July n.p.: ‘The Cut and Run Club’ This city has been long been infested by its members, and their depredations upon [...] the keepers of boarding-houses.
1837		R.M. Bird Nick of the Woods I 183: Don’t stop to ax questions, but run – cut and run.
1843		T. Haliburton Sam Slick in England II 39: Don’t our liners fetch over [...] fellers that cut and run from England, with their fobs filled with other men’s money.
1850		(con. 1843) Melville White-Jacket (1990) 17: ‘Jack Chase cut and run!’ cried a sentimental middy. ‘It must have been all for love, then; the signoritas have turned his head.’.
1861		M.E. Braddon Trail of the Serpent 26: Why were you in such a hurry this morning to cut and run to Gardenford?
1871		C.G. Leland ‘Ballade’ in Hans Breitmann in Europe 214: Vhen Marcovitch has cut und run, / Und Schneider’s off de ving, / Some cray old reprobate like me / Vill of dese lofed vons sing.
1875		‘Aliph Cheem’ Lays of Ind (1905) 54: How he held the taunt above her / ‘If you wish it, cut and run!’.
1884		Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday 31 May 34/2: While it lasts, oh, ain’t it fun? / When it’s flown, cut and run!
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 87: There was nothing for it but to cut and run.
1898		W. Pett Ridge Mord Em’ly 77: A rescue! Me pitch into the blooming copper; you cut and run.
1905		E.W. Hornung A Thief in the Night (1992) 418: We mustn’t cut and run like rabbits.
1917		Boy’s Own Paper XL 1 21: I’ll have to cut and run.
1917		‘Henry Handel Richardson’ Aus. Felix (1971) 10: It suddenly entered Long Jim’s head to cut and run.
1925		G.H. Mullin Adventures of a Scholar Tramp 218: Cut and run now! Make it fast!
1932		J. Dixon Free To Love 119: Em, you’d have to stand by. You couldn’t cut and run.
1949		N. Cassady letter in Charters (1993) 194: I saw a cop’s car behind and suggested we cut and run.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 294: I’ll bet you anything you like that if I take O’Toole and you take another simultaneously, they’ll cut and run.
1970		J. Conaway Big Easy 139: You mean they cut and run?
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 21: Why not cut n run, fella?
1993		M.B. ‘Chopper’ Read How to Shoot Friends 10: Two of our people had cut and run before the battle had even started.