Shortcut
/ˈʃɔːrtkʌt/
Definitions
2 meaningsA route shorter than the usual one; a quicker way of doing something.
/ˈʃɔːrtkʌt/
A quicker way to get somewhere or achieve something.
Taking a shortcut through the park saved me a lot of time.
💡 Simply: A shortcut is like a secret passage that helps you get somewhere faster! Imagine you have a long walk to school, but you know a shortcut through the park – that's a shortcut!
👶 For kids: A shortcut is a shorter way to go somewhere or do something.
More Examples
There is no shortcut to success; it requires hard work and dedication.
I created a shortcut on my desktop to open the application.
How It's Used
"The shortcut saved me ten minutes on my commute."
"Use the desktop shortcut to open the program."
To take a shorter route; to do something in a quicker or easier way, often at the expense of thoroughness.
/ˈʃɔːrtkʌt/
To take a shorter route.
We shortcutted the main road to save time.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're driving and you decide to take a quicker road to get home. You're 'shortcutting'! You're choosing the faster route.
👶 For kids: To go a shorter way.
More Examples
He shortcutted the process to finish the project quickly, but it wasn't done correctly.
I tried to shortcut my homework, but my teacher noticed.
How It's Used
"We shortcutted the main road to avoid traffic."
Idioms & expressions
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
Success or achieving worthwhile goals requires hard work and dedication; there are no easy paths.
"He knew that getting into the best college wasn't going to be easy; he knew there were no shortcuts to any place worth going."
From 'short' and 'cut', reflecting the act of taking a shorter route or method. The term has been used since the late 18th century.
The word 'shortcut' has been in use since the late 18th century, initially to describe shorter routes.
Memory tip
Think of a 'cut' across a field to make the journey shorter.
Word Origin
"A short way of cutting"