Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
I\'ll cut your corners
English answer:
how dare you economize
Added to glossary by
Mohamed Fouda
Apr 4, 2022 17:36
2 yrs ago
30 viewers *
English term
I'll cut your corners
Non-PRO
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
Luke: Look what I built, dad. Dunphy Towers. 200 condos, a happy family in every one.
Phil: Way to go, buddy.
Phil to his wife: I got to hand it to you, honey. 24 hours without video games, he's already contributing to society.
Luke: Die! Die!
Claire: To be fair, he's using his imagination. [High-pitched voice]
Luke: There's no fire escapes! They cut corners! [Normal voice] I'll cut your corners!
I understand the first as it's a common phrase. The second is a bit confusing. Does, he mean, I'll make a clear path/shortcut for you? The video could help.
https://youtu.be/9-UBjYXnFJA?t=69
Phil: Way to go, buddy.
Phil to his wife: I got to hand it to you, honey. 24 hours without video games, he's already contributing to society.
Luke: Die! Die!
Claire: To be fair, he's using his imagination. [High-pitched voice]
Luke: There's no fire escapes! They cut corners! [Normal voice] I'll cut your corners!
I understand the first as it's a common phrase. The second is a bit confusing. Does, he mean, I'll make a clear path/shortcut for you? The video could help.
https://youtu.be/9-UBjYXnFJA?t=69
Change log
Apr 5, 2022 13:44: writeaway changed "Field" from "Art/Literary" to "Other" , "Field (write-in)" from " " to "Cinema, Film, TV, Drama "
Responses
+3
2 hrs
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
123
Selected
how dare you economize
If you haven't watched the video, the kid has made a building out of cans, and then smashes it up in a rage because it has no fire escapes. In other words, the "architects" have cut corners to save money.
This is not an easy construction to explain, since it's basically nonsense, but it essentially means I don't like what you've done, I don't want to listen to your excuses.
For example a child might say to their teacher sorry, I haven't got my homework, a thief stole it on the way in to school. And the teacher might say I'll thief you, young man, meaning I'm annoyed and I don't believe you.
Does that make it a bit clearer?
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2022-04-04 20:29:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Somebody posted three good examples here and then deleted them. I can't remember them all, but one was something like:
"I haven't paid in the check because the bank was closed."
"I'll the bank was closed you."
This is not an easy construction to explain, since it's basically nonsense, but it essentially means I don't like what you've done, I don't want to listen to your excuses.
For example a child might say to their teacher sorry, I haven't got my homework, a thief stole it on the way in to school. And the teacher might say I'll thief you, young man, meaning I'm annoyed and I don't believe you.
Does that make it a bit clearer?
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2022-04-04 20:29:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Somebody posted three good examples here and then deleted them. I can't remember them all, but one was something like:
"I haven't paid in the check because the bank was closed."
"I'll the bank was closed you."
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, everyone!"
48 mins
Mariam Martirosyan
Armenia
Armenia
Armenia
English translator,teacher,writer
Native in: Armenian 
Works in: English to Armenian, Armenian to English
English term (edited):
i\'ll cut your corners
do something perfunctorily so as to save time or money.(sin. Skimp)
For example, Cutting corners in production led to a definite loss in product quality, or If the accountant cuts corners the auditors are sure to find out.
Example sentence:
Don\'t try to cut corners when you\'re decorating.
Take your time, don\'t cut corners and follow instructions to the letter.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
philgoddard
: No, this is missing the point. Mohamed specifically wants to know what "I'll cut your corners" means.
1 hr
|
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: Explanation yes, but translation relating to asker's text, NO
1 day 5 hrs
|
4 hrs
Guilherme Zeitune
Brazil
Brazil
Brazil
Foreign trade, industrial and corporate.
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Portuguese, and 1 more.
take shortcuts
When they say "they cut corners" , it means whoever they are, they're taking shortcuts. Now when Luke says "I'll cut your corners" it's because he's mad at them for cutting corners, and he is going to do something about it.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
philgoddard
: This is basically the same as Mariam's answer.
4 hrs
|
| neutral |
AllegroTrans
: Explanation yes, but translation relating to asker's text, NO
1 day 1 hr
|
15 hrs
How dare they? [for cutting corners/saving money with no fire escapes in the tower]
I agree with philgoddard. The child gets angry with the builders/contructors for not having fire escapes in the building. They cut corners=they save money, so the child uses the metaphoric expression "on them", by "doing it to them", i.e. that he will do the same to the builders, as a payback/reaction.
It's purely metaphoric and cannot be a specific/word-to-word translation here. "How dare they?" i Believe is the most appropriate wording here to show the reaction of the child.
It's purely metaphoric and cannot be a specific/word-to-word translation here. "How dare they?" i Believe is the most appropriate wording here to show the reaction of the child.
Example sentence:
I don't like to cut corners when I have company for dinner.
Reference comments
1 hr
Reference:
I'll cut your corners can be metaphoric, hear: 'I don't let you cheat', for example.
cut corners
To skip certain steps in order to do something as easily or cheaply as possible, usually to the detriment of the finished product or end result. - https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/cut corners#:~:text=cut...
"If you cut the building corners you will endanger people lives." - video 0:30 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgYntXZVPU4
Explanation: if a houses builder steals in the cement of the construction, he's cutting corners and h'es endagering people' lives as the building ca fall down
cut corners
To skip certain steps in order to do something as easily or cheaply as possible, usually to the detriment of the finished product or end result. - https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/cut corners#:~:text=cut...
"If you cut the building corners you will endanger people lives." - video 0:30 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgYntXZVPU4
Explanation: if a houses builder steals in the cement of the construction, he's cutting corners and h'es endagering people' lives as the building ca fall down
Something went wrong...