Many times we get confused when we come across an idiomatic expression when reading. This happens because you do not understand the idiom, and you are probably trying to decipher the meaning from the literal words. So, you are wondering what “cut to the chase” means. We will explain this idiom in detail.
The idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” means to get straight to the point without wasting any time. It means to focus on important issues and avoid unnecessary explanations or stories. For example, John told Jane to cut to the chase and tell him what the teacher said his punishment would be.
Before you start writing, you must understand that you need to learn lots of things before you can use words and idioms correctly. Do not be worried; we have you covered, and you will get the knowledge required to use this idiom correctly in a sentence.
What Does “Cut To The Chase” Mean?
We will take a deep dive into how the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” can be used correctly in a sentence. However, before we do that, we need to establish some basic foundations about the idiom, the meaning, and its origin.
Idiomatic expressions are unique because they have a literal meaning and a figurative meaning, although most idioms have both. The literal meaning is derived from the words of the idioms, while the figurative meaning is the hidden meaning the idiom conveys.
The literal meaning is the denotative meaning. Things are described exactly as they are. The figurative meaning is the connotative meaning which can include metaphors, similes and other figures of speech. The denotative meaning of an idiom is irrelevant most of the time, we use the connotative meaning, and to get the connotative meaning of an idiom, you need to study that idiom.
Now, we will look at the connotative meaning of the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase.”
The idiom “cut to the chase” means to say or address only important issues and avoid minor and unnecessary details. It means dealing with the important parts of an issue, topic, or problem and not wasting time on less important things.
Another meaning of the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” is to get to the point immediately without focusing on unnecessary preamble or preface. It also means to get to the most important points quickly.
When you use the idiom “cut to the chase,” it could also mean abandoning introductions and preliminaries and dealing with the vital and most important point. It means to get to the most important issue without spending time on anything else.
The idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” also means to go to the most important part of something without spending time on unimportant or boring details.
What Is The Origin Of The Idiomatic Expression “Cut To The Chase”?
While a lot of other idiomatic expressions have different theories as to how they came to be, there is a generally accepted theory of the origin of the idiom “cut to the chase.”
The idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” is said to have its origin in the movie industry of the United States. All movies produced were silent in the early 20th century, most of the movies were done using gestures and facial expressions and had a romantic storyline that always ended in a chase sequence.
In the 20th century, people regarded the chase sequence of a movie as the main part of the movie. So when watching a movie, most of the bored and impatient viewers will have been thinking or even shouted “cut to the chase” because they wanted to see the exciting part of the movie.
In the 1920s, when a film “cuts to the chase,” it means the film has moved to a car chase scene. The expression was used to compare the important discussion to the exciting actions in a movie, like a car chase scene.
The first recorded print where the idiom was used is in a novel called Hollywood Girl by Joseph Mcevoy Patrick in 1929. However, the idiom was used in a literal sense later in the 20th century.
The idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” was first used in its figurative meaning, which is ‘get to the point’ in the 1940s. In March 1944, the idiom was used in an article about screenwriting by The Winnipeg Free Press.
In February 1947, The Berkshire Evening Eagle, an England Newspaper, used the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” to infer the meaning that we are familiar with today. The expression is said to have existed as an idiom for less than a hundred years.
The idiom “cut to the chase” was used in a poem by David Darbyshire and also in a song by Rush. The expression was also used in a novel by Nayla Nash.
How Do People Use The Expression “Cut To The Chase”
You use the idiom “cut to the chase” when telling someone to stop playing around and talk about the important part of that discussion. For example, you broke a vase, and when telling your mum about it, you start saying all the things that happened, she will tell you to cut to the chase and tell her exactly what happened.
The idiom is also used to urge someone to get to the main part of their story, especially when they say the irrelevant aspect of the story. You use it when telling someone to forget the unimportant part and focus on the main issue.
You can also use the idiom “cut to the chase” in a situation where someone is wasting time on boring or irrelevant details, and you want them to skip those parts and get to the important point.
The idiom is also used to quickly get to the point and skip the unimportant details, especially when one tells a story. It is also used to tell one to leave out the less important things and focus more on the important ones.
You also use the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” when telling some to leave out the unnecessary details when speaking and go to the main point. The idiom is used when telling someone to leave out the preamble and focus on the important issue.
The idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” is also used to tell someone to stop wasting time and say or do the important thing that needs to be said or done. You can also use the idiom to prepare readers for a bold statement.
Illustrative Examples Of How To Use The Idiomatic Expression
We will look at some illustrative examples that explain the idiomatic expression “cut to the chase” and how to use it in a sentence correctly.
- During an investigation of a crime, the police gathered lots of suspects and asked them to describe the event; when it was time for Samuel to speak, he started blabbering, and the policemen became frustrated and asked him to cut to the chase.
- Harmony was suspended from school, when her mother asked her what happened, she started talking about her school teacher, then her mum said she should cut to the chase or be grounded.
- Every time James wants to talk about something, we always beg him to please cut to the chase because we know he will always waste everyone’s time before speaking on the main issue.
- One of the reasons I like our school principal is that he always cuts to the chase when speaking, so we do not have to listen to irrelevant issues when making an announcement or giving a speech.
- The team called for an impromptu meeting, and when everyone arrived, the president cut to the chase and told everyone to start preparing because the competition would be announced soon.
- My car has been acting up lately, so I took it to the mechanic, and the mechanic said, ‘I will cut to the chase and tell you what the problem is, the engine of your car is faulty and needs to be changed.
- When Esther was going on and on about her vacation, her brother, cutting to the chase, told us she met a boy, and they are in a romantic relationship.
- Anna requested that I meet her; when I got to the meeting place, I told her to cut to the chase because I do not have all day to discuss.
- I walked up to Aaron, the most popular guy in school, and said, ‘I will cut to the chase, will you go on a date with me?
English Idioms
Final Thoughts
Have you ever been in a situation where a person is wasting your time talking about irrelevant issues while ignoring the important details and you do not know the most appropriate thing to tell the person? What you are looking for is the idiom “cut to the chase.”
With an in-depth understanding of the English language’s versatility, you can know the correct and most appropriate word or phrase to use to convey a message either when speaking or writing.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.