shortcut

Everyday

1. A shortcut is a quicker or shorter way to get somewhere. tree →
2. A quicker way of doing something, like a trick in maths. tree →
3. On a computer, a key combination or icon that does something quickly. tree →

In the lessons

Used in everyday life and safety: "Don't take shortcuts through the woods or across railway lines." In maths: a mental maths shortcut (to multiply by 10, move the digits). In computing: keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+C to copy. A warning phrase: "There are no shortcuts to learning".

Examples

• We took a shortcut through the park. tree →
• Never take a shortcut across the railway tracks. tree →
• A shortcut for 9 times a number is 10 times minus one time. tree →
• Press Ctrl+Z as a shortcut to undo. tree →
• Put a shortcut to the game on the desktop. tree →
• There's no shortcut to learning to read. tree →

Note

Countable. Also written "short cut" in British English. A shortcut is not always safe or correct; check your answer.