make short work of

present singular third person makes short work of · participle present making short work of · participle past made short work of · past made short work of

1. idiomatictransitiveTo do (a task) relatively quickly or easily.

   A good electric screwdriver will make short work of the disassembly process.

   1 more example

   [...] a cab ride in one of the Birmingham Type 2 diesels over the Mallaig extension demonstrated what short work—and what a transformation of the engineman's lot—these machines make of the gradients by comparison with their steam predecessors.

   1962 September, G. Freeman Allen, “The New Look in Scotland's Northern Division—1”, in Modern Railways, page 164

2. idiomatictransitiveTo deal with or overcome (someone or something) quickly and without difficulty.

   You impertinent ruffian! You impertinent ruffian! I'll make short work of you!

   1904–1907 (date written), James Joyce, “Counterparts”, in Dubliners, London: Grant Richards, published June 1914, →OCLC, page 111

   3 more examples

   "There was desperate characters here, but the vigilantes made short work of 'em."

   1897, Maynard Barbour, chapter 26, in The Award of Justice

   With what you have learned from your drivers' education course so far, you should be able to make short work of an enemy aircraft.

   2021 March 19, Bosnian Ape Society, 5:23 from the start, in Is Your Car Safe From Supermaneuverable Air-Defense Fighter Aircraft?, archived from the original on 07 Aug 2022

   I arrange some of my things and sit back, making short work of the chocolate bars supplied to passengers.

   2023 February 8, Greg Morse, “Crossing the border... by Sleeper”, in RAIL, number 976, page 42

   Synonyms: make light work of, make quick work of, make mincemeat of