Cutting Corners

 

Cut Corners (1800s): History: Believed to have originated from the shipbuilding industry in the 1800s, where cutting corners on materials or craftsmanship could lead to a dangerous outcome. 

Example: Rushing to meet the deadline, the construction crew cut corners, which resulted in several safety violations being cited.

History:

• The idiom "cutting corners" likely originated in the mid-1800s, not directly tied to shipbuilding.
• There are two main theories:
  • Literal meaning: It could come from the act of taking shortcuts when navigating, like pedestrians taking untested paths or carriages taking corners too sharply.
  • "Cater Corner" evolution: An older term, "cater corner" (meaning diagonally across), might have transformed into "catty corner" and eventually "cutting corners" over time.

Example:

Your example is spot on! "Rushing to meet the deadline, the construction crew cut corners, which resulted in several safety violations being cited" perfectly captures the essence of the idiom.

Additional Notes:

• While shipbuilding exemplifies the dangers of cutting corners, there's no clear evidence it directly birthed the idiom.
• The idiom implies a risk associated with taking shortcuts, something present in both the navigation and language evolution theories.