Region: General | Usage example: If you cut corners on quality, the product will fail.

Cut corners

Meaning

To save time, money, or effort by skipping proper steps, often reducing quality or safety.

Used as a warning in work, construction, manufacturing, studying, cooking, and any process where shortcuts can cause problems.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Probably from the physical idea of taking a shorter route around a corner rather than following the proper path.

The phrase became common in modern business and technical English during the 20th century as a criticism of careless efficiency.