cut corners
To do something in the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often by skipping important steps or ignoring rules. This practice usually results in lower quality or increased risk to save time or money.
Exemples
3 sur 5I tried to cut corners when painting the living room, and now the walls look uneven.
I tried to do the job the easy way when painting the living room, and now the walls look uneven.
The inquiry found that the company began to cut corners on safety protocols to increase profit margins.
The inquiry found that the company began to sacrifice safety protocols to increase profit margins.
Don't cut corners on your workout form, or you might end up injuring yourself.
Don't take shortcuts with your workout form, or you might end up injuring yourself.
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Imagine a runner cutting across the grass instead of staying on the track; they get to the finish line faster, but they didn't complete the full race properly.
Quiz rapide
The construction company was criticized for ________ on materials, which led to cracks in the foundation.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : cutting corners
Exemples
I tried to cut corners when painting the living room, and now the walls look uneven.
everydayI tried to do the job the easy way when painting the living room, and now the walls look uneven.
The inquiry found that the company began to cut corners on safety protocols to increase profit margins.
formalThe inquiry found that the company began to sacrifice safety protocols to increase profit margins.
Don't cut corners on your workout form, or you might end up injuring yourself.
informalDon't take shortcuts with your workout form, or you might end up injuring yourself.
Academic integrity is compromised when researchers cut corners during the data collection process.
academicAcademic integrity is compromised when researchers skip essential steps during the data collection process.
We need to finish this project on time, but we cannot afford to cut corners on quality control.
businessWe need to finish this project on time, but we cannot afford to reduce the quality of our checks.
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
no room to cut corners
a situation where everything must be done perfectly
cutting corners costs lives
a warning that skipping safety steps can be fatal
don't cut corners
an instruction to do a job thoroughly
Souvent confondu avec
A 'shortcut' can be a positive, efficient way to save time, whereas 'cut corners' almost always implies a negative loss of quality.
'Cut ties' means to end a relationship, which is unrelated to the process of doing work.
Notes d'usage
This idiom is primarily used in a negative sense to criticize work that is poorly done or dangerous. It is very common in professional environments when discussing budgets or deadlines.
Erreurs courantes
Learners often say 'cut the corners' or 'cut a corner'; however, the idiom is almost always plural and without an article before 'corners'.
Astuce mémo
Imagine a runner cutting across the grass instead of staying on the track; they get to the finish line faster, but they didn't complete the full race properly.
Origine du mot
Originally referred to driving or sailing, where taking a sharp, tight turn around a corner (cutting it) saved time but was often risky.
Modèles grammaticaux
Contexte culturel
In many English-speaking professional cultures, being accused of 'cutting corners' is a serious criticism of one's ethics and reliability.
Quiz rapide
The construction company was criticized for ________ on materials, which led to cracks in the foundation.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : cutting corners
Expressions liées
Vocabulaire associé
Plus de mots sur quality
good
A1Used to describe something that is of a high standard, pleasant, or morally right. It is a general positive term used to express approval or satisfaction in many different situations.
great
A1Used to describe something that is much better than average, excellent, or wonderful. It can also describe something that is very large in size, amount, or degree.
bad
A1Describes something that is of low quality, unpleasant, or not helpful. It can also refer to things that are harmful, serious, or morally wrong.
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