The idiom, “cutting corners” was first seen in the 1800s. It is related to rounding a corner instead of taking the proper route. This shortened the distance from one end to another. However, closely associated with the use of the idiom is the idea that cutting corners sometimes backfires...
“Cutting corners” is a simple English idiom that suggests someone is taking a shortcut or an easy way out instead of putting the right amount of time into a task.E.g. In their rush to meet the deadline, the construction crew started cutting corners, skipping crucial safety checks, ...