# make short work of

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/make-short-work-of
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To do (a task) quicker or easier.

## Examples

- The hungry cat made short work of its dinner.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.