🗓️ Idiom: To Cut Corners (v)
💬 Meaning
- To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often by ignoring rules or quality.
- To save time or money by doing less than what is needed or expected.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The builder cut corners, and now the office roof is leaking.
- Don’t cut corners with safety procedures—it could lead to serious problems.
- The product launch was delayed because the team refused to cut corners.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from the idea of not following the full path—like turning a corner too sharply to save time or distance. In the 1900s, it began to describe doing things too quickly or cheaply, especially when skipping important steps or rules.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The manager warned the team not to __________ when preparing the financial report.
Answer
cut corners
2. Choose the correct meaning of “cut corners”:
A) To walk around a corner
B) To take a longer way
C) To save time or money by skipping steps
Answer
C) To save time or money by skipping steps
3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:
“They finished the job quickly but ignored important steps.” → Change the sentence using: cut corners
Answer
They cut corners to finish the job quickly.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
