# short strokes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/short-strokes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The final steps of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

## Examples

- We are in the short strokes of finishing this project.
- I am in the short strokes of my final exam preparation.
- After months of planning the wedding, we are finally in the short strokes of the preparations.
- The construction crew is in the short strokes of the renovation, so the family can move back into their house by next weekend.
- Our legal team reached the short strokes of the contract negotiations after discussing the details for several weeks.
- Having labored over the manuscript for years, the author finally entered the short strokes of the editing process, eager to see the book in print.

## Origin

The origin is uncertain, though the idiom is possibly an allusion to the practice of painting, in which a work is completed with short, careful strokes of the brush to achieve the final detail. A second theory suggests a derivation from golf, in which a player concludes each hole by making short strokes with a putter. In both instances, the finish is a matter of diminished distance and increased precision. (disputed)

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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.