We don't like to cut corners, but let's take a quick look at the origins of that phrase, which date back to the mid-19th century.
Bennett Kleinman
"C utting corners" implies taking the quickest or cheapest route to an end result, often by omitting important steps or defying conventional standards. For instance, if you're approaching hangry levels and don't want to wait to preheat the oven, you might microwave a slice of pizza instead. It'll taste OK, but it will lack the crispiness that you would have gotten with the proper cooking technique.
There's no surefire source for the phrase, as some details have been omitted over the years. But there are some probable theories for how "cut corners" was coined, dating to literal examples in the 19th century. One early instance appears in an 1852 book about hunting with hounds, discussing how certain horsemen would cut across corners of the riding path to avoid the "undulating nature of the ground." But the best riders were said to never cut corners and instead followed the hounds exactly — even for a longer journey — as it would often lead to a higher-quality result.
Another commonly perpetuated story involves carriage riding, specifically the claim that drivers would take street corners sharply and sometimes hop the curb. It's difficult to know if this is an origin story, but the practice likely contributed to solidifying the phrase in the lexicon.
"Cut corners" soon took on a metaphorical meaning that had less to do with cutting through physical planes, and more with the general idea of taking shortcuts. The Oxford English Dictionary cites an 1868 article from a Huddersfield, England, newspaper on the topic of "the art of 'cutting the corners,' and other less legitimate tricks." From there on out, the phrase developed widespread usage to describe anyone doing limited work for a satisfactory, yet subpar result.
Meaning: Shows an analog clock face displaying 5 o'clock.
Evolution: One in the clock face series, this emoji is sometimes used literally to indicate time but has also become associated with the sentiment of "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" and end-of-workday celebrations.
Usage: [Group chat message:] Happy hour starts at 🕔 !
Clock Face Five O'Clock
Meaning: Shows an analog clock face displaying 5 o'clock.
Evolution: One in the clock face series, this emoji is sometimes used literally to indicate time but has also become associated with the sentiment of "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" and end-of-workday celebrations.
Usage: [Group chat message:] Happy hour starts at 🕔 !
Have you read?
Wool
By Hugh Howey
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic or science fiction, you should read this series — all three books held my attention with different perspectives or different timelines. This first book is action-packed, following a heroine on a journey to discovering that her entire world is different than what she was raised to believe.
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Wool
By Hugh Howey
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic or science fiction, you should read this series — all three books held my attention with different perspectives or different timelines. This first book is action-packed, following a heroine on a journey to discovering that her entire world is different than what she was raised to believe.
From proper English to shunned and back again, "ain't" has survived centuries of controversy to become one of English's most resilient — and versatile — contractions.
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