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idiom

Cut to the chase

kut tuh thuh CHAYS

/kʌt tə ðə tʃeɪs/

Listen

Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.

Syllable breakdown

cuttothechase

Dictionary meaning

To skip unnecessary preamble and get directly to the most important or relevant part of what you want to say or do.

Examples

  • Let me cut to the chase: the project is three weeks behind schedule.
  • She appreciated how he always cut to the chase in meetings instead of dragging them out.

Synonyms: get to the point, skip the preamble, get down to business

Pronunciation tips

The phrase originates from early Hollywood film-making, where editors were instructed to skip to the exciting chase scene.

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