Idiom
Cut corners
To cut corners is to do something in the cheapest, quickest or easiest way, often by skipping steps and lowering quality.
How people use it
It is usually a criticism: the builder cut corners on the wiring. It suggests that saving time or money led to poorer work or even safety risks. People also say "don't cut corners" as advice. It can be neutral when the shortcuts are harmless, as in cutting a few corners on a busy weeknight dinner. The tone is informal to neutral.
Also said: cut a few corners.
Examples
- The landlord cut corners on repairs, and now the roof leaks again.
- Don't cut corners on safety gear when you go rock climbing.
- We cut a few corners on dinner tonight and used a store-bought sauce.
Where it comes from
The literal sense is taking a shorter path by going across a corner instead of all the way around it, as a driver or runner might. The figurative sense of saving effort at the cost of quality was in use by the late 1800s.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean if a company cut corners?
Answer: It did a cheaper, poorer job to save time or money. Cutting corners means skipping steps or lowering quality to save effort or money.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: The bridge failed inspection because the crew had cut corners.. The idiom means skimping on quality, not being extra careful.
Similar idioms
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