shortcut
/ˈʃɔːtkʌt/noun
1An alternative route that is shorter than the one usually taken: they were taking a shortcut to town...
- We're always looking for the quick route, the short cut, the way to avoid the traffic.
- Ignoring it as was my custom, I turned off the main road, and took the short cut through the woods.
- We took a short cut through the woods behind the elementary school at the edge of our neighborhood, and emerged at the side of the highway.
1.1An accelerated way of doing or achieving something: teaching no longer offered a shortcut to secure employment...
- For anyone with an underdeveloped sense of self-esteem, this is a lifeline, providing a short cut to coherence and purpose.
- But the idea that cosmetic surgery is a short cut to a fit, healthy-looking body is false.
- Opportunities for women in music were limited, and sex with a star was a short cut to the heart of the industry.
1.2 Computing A record of the address of a file, website, or other data made to enable quick access.The update for the text abbreviation expansion utility added the ability to customize the application's keyboard shortcuts....
- Instead of selecting the Get Info option from the menu bar, you can also use the Command-I keyboard short cut.
- In the past few years, search engines have been adding a variety of shortcuts direct from their search boxes.
