From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe a cut above somebody/somethingbe a cut above somebody/somethingBETTERto be much better than someone else or something else The movie is a cut above recent thrillers. He proved himself to be a cut above the rest. → cut
Examples from the Corpus
be a cut above somebody/something• All were a cut above the Polynesian houses.• Apparently this feller was a cut above the average.• She had quickly realized that he was a cut above the other men at the table.• Cutting edge: A small Stockton hair salon is proving it is a cut above the rest in competitions.• The lasagna at Bella Mia is a cut above other restaurants' versions.• Morton was a cut above the average nob, that was for sure. 