cut and paste
1. verb In computing, to remove something so that it can be placed elsewhere (such as text in a word processing document). I think you should cut and paste this section because it would fit better with the introduction of your paper. Good eye, that line definitely ended up in the wrong paragraph. I'll cut and paste it now. Let me cut and paste this image over here. Does that make the flier look more balanced?
2. noun An unimportant or trivial activity. We usually just assign the interns cut and paste around the office to keep them busy. I actually wanted to learn more about fossils, but the substitute teacher just gave us cut and paste to do. Why are we even here? They should have given us the afternoon off instead of making us to stay and do cut and paste.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
cut and paste
1. Lit. to cut something out of paper with scissors and paste it onto something else. The teacher told the little children that it was time to cut and paste, and they all ran to the worktables. Mary made a tiny house by cutting and pasting little strips of paper.
2. Fig. something trivial, simple, or childish. I hate this job. It's nothing but cut and paste. I don't mind doing things that have to be done, but I hate to waste my time on cut and paste.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
cut and paste
Describing a patched-up job or trivial work. For example, The revision was easy, just cut and paste, or The new assistant had expected some training, but all she got was cut and paste. This term alludes to simple artwork done by small children-cutting out pictures and gluing them to paper. [Mid-1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.