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Cut corners

Cut corners

Meaning

Doing things in a slipshod way, to avoid expense or effort.

Examples

We should be using best butter for this recipe, but he’s cutting corners and using oil.

Where did it originate?

Rudyard Kipling, late 19th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Cut corners

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