Are you overworked? You might be tempted to rush through your responsibilities by reducing the quality of your work. In this case, you could say you are “cutting corners.
This post explores this interesting idiom’s meaning, origin, and usage.
Meaning
The idiom “to cut corners” means sacrificing quality and ignoring rules (including health and safety protocols) to get a job done quickly.
The expression is a traffic analogy. People may want to avoid going to the corner and making a sharp turn, preferring to cut across diagonally.
This act of “cutting corners” saves time but comes with risks. The idiom dates back to a time when people used horse-drawn carriages, and cutting corners posed a safety hazard.
Example Usage
Seeing an idiom in action is often the best way to understand what it means. Take a look at these example sentences before you incorporate “cut corners” into your vocabulary:
- “We are considering putting an offer in on this beautiful old home we saw. It is clear that the current owners hired shoddy workers who cut some serious corners, however, so we might lowball it.”
- “Students often try to cut corners when they write history essays. Some copy entire texts from the internet, but even the better students may resort to rewriting existing essays.”
- “This project will determine our future as a company, so it is more important than ever to show the client what we can do. I don’t want anyone cutting corners this time!”
Origin
The idiom “to cut corners” dates back to the 1800s, when traffic rules were less defined than today.
Instead of following the road and making sharp turns in the designated place some drivers would literally “cut corners” and save themselves some time by cutting across diagonally.
Going off-road was faster but also riskier.
The first functional automobile only appeared in 1886, so the saying “to cut corners” referred to people driving horse-drawn carriages. These carriages being less robust than cars, cutting corners came with the risk of overturning the carriage.
As such, the saying “to cut corners” means taking undue risks or doing a shoddy job to save time.
Cutting corners almost always means using cheap materials or ignoring (safety) rules to get a job done faster in modern English. The saying is especially widespread in relation to the construction industry.
However, you can use the phrase “cutting corners” to talk about any poor-quality work resulting from shortcuts. When someone cuts corners, they don’t bring their best efforts to the job and actively try to get away with poor work.
Phrases Similar to Cut Corners
- Are you looking for other phrases that describe poor-quality work resulting from efforts to save time or money? The following expressions may fit:
- Rush job — a job done very quickly, often leading to poor results.
- Shortcut — meaning a faster route off the beaten track, this expression is used in business settings too.
- Take the easy way out — choose the least difficult option.
- Half-assed — someone does a half-assed job when they aren’t trying their best.
When a worker or contractor regularly cuts corners, you can also say that person is a “cowboy.”
Phrases Opposite to Cut Corners
Putting in extra effort to exceed standards is the opposite of cutting corners. You can say that someone who does this:
- Goes the extra mile.
- Goes above and beyond.
What Is the Correct Saying?
The correct saying is “to cut corners.” Someone cuts corners if they deliver poor-quality work or use cheap materials to save time or money.
Ways People May Say Cut Corners Incorrectly
The phrase “to cut corners” shouldn’t be confused with “cutting someone off.” This happens when a driver abruptly changes lanes and gets in the way of the driver behind them.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Cut Corners
You can say someone “cuts corners” if that person delivers poor-quality work or uses excessively cheap materials to save time or money. The phrase is often used in the construction industry, where it may also denote a contractor who ignores regulations and health and safety protocols.