Cut to the Chase
Cut to the chase - Get on with it, get to the point. This phrase, often an imperative, comes from the film industry of the 1920s, where it means to edit (“cut”) film so as to get to an exciting chase sequence, an intrinsic part of many early movies. It gradually became more general in meaning, as in “She went on and on about her vacation, until I told her to cut to the chase and tell us where she stayed.”
Related Expressions and Idioms
- Get to the heart of the matter: Dive into the most crucial part of the topic.
- Hit the nail on the head: To be precisely accurate.
- Spill the beans: Disclose secret or vital information.
- Make a long story short: Summarize something lengthy.
- Stick to the point: Refuse to be distracted by ancillary details.
Proverbs
- “Time and tide wait for no man.”
- Emphasizes the value of promptly getting to the core.
Humor-filled Quotes
- “Whales are creatures of the deep, so here’s the short and the long of it: get to the point!” — Dockside Davidson
Literature, Books, Songs, and Movies
- Books:
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy
- Movies:
- Pulp Fiction - Famous for diverse narratives that eventually “cut to the chase.”
- There’s Just Something About Mary - Cuts through comedic diversions to the central love story.
- Songs:
- “Let’s Cut to the Chase” by Wendy and Peter.
### Which of these is a real idiom?
- [x] Cut to the chase
- [ ] Jumping over jellyfish
- [ ] Riding a rainbow wave
- [ ] Dancing with bananas
> **Explanation:** "Cut to the chase" is a well-known idiom used to urge someone to get to the point quickly. The other options are purely whimsical.
### Which phrase genuinely means to get to the point quickly?
- [ ] Floating through dreams
- [ ] Hopping on happy feet
- [x] Make a long story short
- [ ] Dancing through daffodils
> **Explanation:** "Make a long story short" condenses lengthy information to highlight key points.
### True or False: "Spill the beans" means to obscure the topic.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** "Spill the beans" means to reveal vital or secret information, not to obscure it.
### Find the correct expression for direct information provision.
- [ ] Get lost in the weeds
- [ ] Walk on sunshine
- [x] Hit the nail on the head
- [ ] Chasing the tail lights
> **Explanation:** "Hit the nail on the head" means to be precisely accurate, providing concise and direct information.
### True or False: "Stick to the point" and "Cut to the chase" can be used interchangeably.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Both expressions aim to urge someone to stay on the main topic without diverging into less important details.
Farewell, intrepid explorers of the aphoristic! In a world buzzing with words, may you master the art of clarity, brevity, and authenticity. Keep your conversations vibrant and focused, trimming through tangents to unearth truth and wisdom.
— Felicity Quickquill
