Example
“We shipped the shortcut in a day, but the technical debt means every future change takes twice as long.”
Dictionary details
Tags
Related idioms
Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.
no free lunch
CEFR B1everything has a cost; you cannot get something for nothing
band-aid fix
CEFR B2a hasty, temporary solution that patches a symptom without addressing the root cause
cut corners
CEFR B2To do something cheaply or quickly by skipping important steps, often lowering quality.
iron out the kinks
CEFR B2to fix the last small problems in a plan, process, or product
quick and dirty
CEFR B2done rapidly and roughly, with little care for quality or polish
reinvent the wheel
CEFR B2to waste time recreating something that already exists and works well
Source methodology
Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.