shortcut

American  

[shawrt-kuht] / ˈʃɔrtˌkʌt /

noun

1. a shorter or quicker way.

2. a method, procedure, policy, etc., that reduces the time or energy needed to accomplish something.

3. Computers.

   1. a link to a software application, file, or website, usually represented as a graphical icon that can be clicked on to quickly access or open it.

      You can create a desktop shortcut to a web page you've visited.

   2. Also called keyboard shortcut.  hotkey.

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adjective

1. constituting or providing a shorter or quicker way.

   shortcut methods.

Etymology

Origin of shortcut

First recorded in 1560–70; short + cut

Example Sentences

He sends handwritten notes to employees who receive bonuses or retire, often following a familiar script but never taking a shortcut past paper and ink.

From The Wall Street Journal

The deviations from standard practice meant thousands of references were not checked, and shortcuts in vetting led to there being some officers and staff who should not have been in the force.

From BBC

These voices insist that it isn’t “real cooking” unless everything is homemade, that shortcuts signify failure, and that feeding yourself—or others—this way reflects some deeper shortcoming.

From Salon

Beijing views future sea routes through the High North as a shortcut for global commerce, a so-called Polar Silk Road.

From The Wall Street Journal

For now, she says, it's reasonable to enjoy the ritual for how it makes you feel, without assuming it's a guaranteed shortcut to better health.

From BBC