Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. fallen on hard times.

1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 221: Owing to a combination of unfortunate circumstances, such as gambling, dissipation, &c., he is so cut up, that all his old pals have turned their backs on him.
1841		‘The Convict’s Consolation’ Dublin Comic Songster 332: The match-trade is so cut up, / It isn’t worth following longer.

2. (also cut) unhappy, depressed, upset.

1822		Tom And Jerry; Musical Extravaganza 53: Cut up, broken down.
1832		in Egan Bk of Sports 137: And when he said, ‘I feel death’s cleaver,’ / Poor Sal was quite cut up.
1841		J. Mills Old Eng. Gentleman (1847) 380: He’ll be dreadfully missed [...] The squire’s amazing cut up about him.
1856		C. Reade It Is Never Too Late to Mend II 239: Robinson was first in a fury and then, when he found it was really stolen from him, he was very much cut up.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor II 468/2: I did feel cut up seeing the hearse going off.
1870		B. Harte Luck of Roaring Camp (1873) 132: Did n’t she flash up grandly and beautifully and scornfully? [...] and was n’t old Fagg awfully cut up?
1874		‘Old Calabar’ Won in a Canter I 260: ‘Mr Hill and Sir John are terribly cut up, and have never left the house since’.
1879		C.J. Kickham Knocknagow 514: ‘You look dreadfully cut up,’ said Father Carroll, as he looked into Arthur O’Connor’s pallid face.
1884		All Sloper’s Half Holiday 8 May 6/3: At James’s untimely departure, Miss Gale was said to be almost as much cut up as the other lady.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 4 Apr. 22/1: The reverend gentleman was very much cut up, indeed, when he heard that his better half had hooked it. The lady […] was very prepossessing, and had many warm admirers. The churchwarden, though, was the favourite bantam.
1895		J. Greenwood Behind A Bus 113: The poor fellow seemed so cut up, I couldn’t help pitying him.
1901		H. Morant letter in Cutlack Breaker Morant (1962) 64: You will know how cut up we must have been over poor Hunt’s death.
1902		P.L. Dunbar Jest Of Fate (1903) 163: What are you looking so cut up about?
1911		Gem 28 Oct. 17: Bai Jove, he seemed awf’ly cut up!
1913		C. Mackenzie Sinister Street I 346: Is your mater fearfully cut up?
1921		Dos Passos Three Soldiers 172: Gee, Ah’m kind o’ cut up ’bout that lady.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 448: The poor wife was awfully cut up. How is she bearing it?
1930		L. Lower Here’s Luck 184: ‘’E was that cut up, I felt sorry for ‘im, but all the same, the kid couldn’t ’a’ been too strong in the first place, and wot I says is----’.
1935		A. Christie Three Act Tragedy (1964) 33: That’s why I’m really cut up about old Mr Babbington.
1936		D. Footman Pig and Pepper (1990) 203: Poor old Pemberton was very cut up about that.
1947		J.F. Bardin Last of Philip Banter in Bardin Omnibus (1976) 313: Dorothy knew how cut up I had been over her decision to divorce me.
1953		K. Tennant Joyful Condemned 60: He went because he was cut up to see what they’d done to me.
1955		B. Hill Boss of Britain’s Underworld 69: My father was taken suddenly ill and died [...] I was pretty cut up when I had the news.
1961		Galton & Simpson ‘The Bowmans’ Hancock’s Half-Hour [TV script] My old woman was very cut up about it, you know.
1967		B. Crump Odd Spot of Bother 20: Old George was going to be pretty cut-up.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 102: Angie was pretty cut up about ’er daddy gettin’ rubbed out.
1993		I. Welsh Trainspotting 279: Renton [...] sees her pain and anger. It cuts him up.
1997		C. Newland Scholar 313: Cory’d be properly cut up if anythin’ happened t’you.
1998		P. Doyle (con. late 1950s) Amaze Your Friends (2019) 164: ‘You really won’t give him another chance? He’s really cut up’.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 132: I was a bit cut up about Georgie O’Farrell anyway, to be fair.
2004		J. McCourt ‘Vilja de Tanquay Exults’ in Queer Street 313: ‘You must have loved / Your grandmother,’ he says. ‘Oh, indeed I did, / And were terribly cut up – bereft really – / At her passing.’.
2007		L. Redhead Cherry Pie [ebook] I vaguely remembered the message, and meaning to ring, but … ‘Sorry, I—’ ‘Yeah, I was really cut’.