Collocation
To cut a long story short
Used to say that you are going to tell the main points of something without including all the details; to summarize.
Definition
'To cut a long story short' is a common English collocation. Used to say that you are going to tell the main points of something without including all the details; to summarize.
To + cut + a long story short
“To cut a long story short, we decided to sell the house and move to the countryside.”
Examples
- To cut a long story short, we missed our flight and had to rebook for the next day.
- So, to cut a long story short, after all that trouble, we ended up staying home anyway.
- He started to explain everything in detail, but then said, 'To cut a long story short, I got the job!'
Show more examples
- To cut a long story short, the experiment failed, and we had to start over from scratch.
- After hours of discussion, to cut a long story short, they reached a compromise that pleased everyone.
- The speaker apologized for the lengthy introduction and said, 'To cut a long story short, let's get to the main topic.'
- She could have told us every single detail, but she chose to cut a long story short and just give us the conclusion.
- If I were to cut a long story short, I'd say our new project is off to a great start despite initial challenges.
- I'll try to cut a long story short for you, but there were many twists and turns along the way.
Learn this in a path
More at B2 level
- come up with an idea To produce or think of a new idea, plan, or solution, often creatively or after some effort.
- figure out a problem To understand or solve a difficult situation, puzzle, or issue.
- look into an issue To investigate or examine a problem, concern, or situation to discover the facts and find a solutio…
- How do you two know each other? A common question used to ask about the origin or nature of the relationship between two people.
- I've heard a lot about you. I know things about you from other people's accounts or from your reputation, often used as an iceb…
More idiomatic phrases
- Let's take that offline. To discuss a particular topic or issue privately, separately from the main group or public discussi…
- Let's move on. To proceed to the next topic or activity; to stop dwelling on a past event or issue and start deali…
- Speaking of work Used as a conversational transition to introduce a topic related to work, often after discussing so…
- long story short Used to say that you are going to tell the main facts of something in a quick way and not include a…