shortcut

[ shawrt-kuht ]

noun

1. a shorter none 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.

adjective

1. constituting or providing a shorter or quicker way:

   shortcut methods.

Word History and Origins

Origin of shortcut¹

First recorded in 1560–70; short none + cut none

Example Sentences

In the cold winter months, this can inevitably take longer, and you’ll pay the price in comfort when you shortcut this process.

From Popular-Science

There are no shortcuts to gain expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.

From Search Engine Watch

In total, Adobe says, the company saw about 10 million clicks on its existing shortcuts, which just goes to show how many people try to convert or sign PDFs every day.

From TechCrunch

The more complicated the security rules designed to protect access, the more likely that people — tired, hurried, bothered — will take shortcuts that make the system vulnerable.

From Washington Post

Garten’s quicker version includes some home-cook-friendly shortcuts, while Keller’s requires more than two dozen ingredients, some prepared multiple ways.

From Washington Post

Then, he set to work building a shortcut that would take the minable minerals he found through the mountain.

From The Daily Beast

This sort of “shortcut” is frowned upon in the martial arts community.

From The Daily Beast

It might also stop falling prey to the notion that the Muslim Brotherhood offers a shortcut to democratic stability.

From The Daily Beast

And then there was the ultimate shortcut: using brand-name drugs as stand-ins for its own in bioequivalence studies.

From The Daily Beast

Unwisely, he took a shortcut and so missed the impassable Cabora Bassa cataracts blocking the river.

From The Daily Beast

Betty Byrd held fast to Doris as they turned into the side wood road which was a shortcut to the old Dorchester highway.

From Project Gutenberg

He went slowly over his shortcut, not to leave the widely circling Toussaint too much in his rear.

From Project Gutenberg

Lafe was sitting at the window as she ran through the shortcut along the tracks.

From Project Gutenberg

At one place, one of the native girls pointed out to us what she called a shortcut.

From Project Gutenberg

A shortcut brought me—I could wish it had been shorter still.

From Project Gutenberg