The verb cut off
is a violent expression, having the sense of hacked off,
dismembered.
The verb is used elsewhere for cutting off limbs of trees (Isaiah 10:33), arms of humans (1 Samuel 2:31), horns of animals (Lamentations 2:3) and altars (Amos 3:14), and pegs (Isaiah 22:25).1
6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day.