gistfile1.sh

# awk. Default delimiter is blank character with the longest match.
echo 'a b  c' | awk '{print $1 " " $2 " " $3 " " $4}'
  #=> a b c 

# cut. Default delimiter is a single blank charcter.
echo 'a b  c' | cut -f1,2,3,4
  #=> a b  c


# awk. Delimiter option is "-F"
echo 'a b  c' | awk -F" " '{print $1 " " $2 " " $3 " " $4}'
  #=> a b c 

# cut. Delimiter option is "-d".
echo 'a b  c' | cut -d" " -f1,2,3,4
  #=> a b  c