shortcut

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a way of doing something that is quicker because it skips some steps.

n. a method of accomplishing a task that bypasses standard procedures to save time or effort.

“There are no shortcuts to learning a language; you have to practice every day.”

“The chef warned that taking shortcuts with the sauce would result in a lack of depth in the final flavour profile.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. an icon on a computer screen that opens a program or file quickly.

n. a symbolic link or pointer in a graphical user interface that provides immediate access to a file, folder, or application.

“I created a shortcut on my desktop so I could open the report with one click.”

“The technician suggested placing a shortcut in the startup folder to ensure the monitoring software launched automatically upon login.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. a combination of keys you press to make a computer do something.

n. a set of one or more keys that invoke a software or operating system command when pressed together.

“Using the keyboard shortcut for 'copy' is much faster than using the mouse.”

“Power users often memorise dozens of shortcuts to navigate the complex interface without ever touching the trackpad.”

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to use a shorter path or a quicker method.

v. to bypass standard routes or procedures in order to reach a destination or conclusion more rapidly.

“If we shortcut through the alley, we can beat the bus to the next stop.”

“The developers tried to shortcut the testing phase, but the resulting bugs cost them more time in the long run.”