cut to the chase
To get to the point; to get on with it; to state something directly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please cut to the chase and tell me what happened.”
“The meeting was running late, so the manager asked everyone to cut to the chase.”
“Tired of his colleague's endless preamble, he interrupted politely but firmly: 'Could you cut to the chase and explain what this proposal actually costs?'”
first recorded 14th c.
From cinema usage: to cut (edit a film) so as to get to the exciting part. Also, preceded by Chaucer c.1400, "The Wife of Bath's Tale"- "And shortly forth this tale for to chace" (To cut a long story short).
- 01
chase a rainbow
To pursue something illusory, impractical, or impossible.
- 02
chase after
To pursue someone with romantic intentions; to woo.
- 03
chase away
To get rid of.
- 04
chase off
To drive someone or something away.
- 05
chase one's tail
To busily try to perform many tasks or to repeatedly revise one's plans, especially with inefficient use of one's time and limited results.
- 06
chase rainbows
To pursue unrealistic or fanciful goals.
- 07
chase tail
To be on the hunt for a (usually sexual) partner.
- 08
chase the dragon
To chase after the promise of a continually fulfilling high from an addictive substance.
Last updated August 10, 2026