I was reading the architecture section of the Globe and Mail this morning and it referred to corners in a residence, and I thought about the expression "to cut corners" - that wouldn't work in a building would it?
The expression likely originated in carriage driving and in hunting. That was in the 1800s. Shortcuts across corners is the simplest version. And now it just means to take shortcuts to save time, effort, resources. It can be positive or negative - cutting corners can mean doing incomplete work or something so poorly that it causes serious consequences or disaster.
Some lame jokes:
I got a job at a circle making factory! Sadly, I was fired today because I was cutting corners
The lady in the drive through at Wendy's asked if she could get a round burger patty and she got the answer.... "No sorry. We don't cut corners here"
Did you hear The Pentagon was actually supposed to be an octagon? but they hired a government contractor that cut corners
It is the Annual Lily Show this weekend. Here's a picture from a few years ago - lots of stems lined up on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
