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like a (hot) knife through butter
01
with minimum effort or time
Idiom
InformalWhat is the origin of the idiom "like a knife through butter" and when to use it?
The idiom "like a knife through butter" does not have a specific documented origin, but it is a figurative expression that likens the ease of an action or task to the smooth and effortless way a sharp knife can cut through butter. It is used to describe how smoothly or easily something is done, as if there were no resistance or obstacles. It is a metaphorical expression that likens the ease of a task or action to the effortless way a sharp knife can cut through butter.
Example
With his sharp negotiating skills, he cut through the complex contract like a knife through butter.
Her powerful performance on stage moved the audience, and her voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter.
The bill passed through the senate like a hot knife through butter.
An industrial machine like that can cut through any material like a knife through butter.
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