The hungry cat made short work of its dinner.
make short work of
idiomTo do (a task) quicker or easier.
With his experience in carpentry, he made short work of the simple bookshelf assembly.
The seasoned detective made short work of the confusing evidence, quickly identifying the only logical suspect in the case.
- 01
a day late and a dollar short
Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.
- 02
a short drop and a sudden stop
A fall to one's death by hanging.
- 03
absence makes the heart grow fonder
One feels more love or affection for those one loves when parted from them.
- 04
busy work
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
- 05
cannot make it
Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.
- 06
caught short
unprepared or without enough of something when it is needed
- 07
close enough for government work
Adequate; acceptable as government work, imperfect but not worth the time nor effort of improving.
- 08
crazy enough to work
Acknowledging that an idea, plan, or strategy seems foolish, implausible, or risky, yet might succeed precisely because of its unconventional or unexpected nature.
Last updated April 17, 2026