like a hot knife through butter

like a (hot) knife through butter

Quickly and with very little effort required. (Said of physically or figuratively cutting through something.) An industrial machine like that can cut through any material like a knife through butter. Because of his close connections with government officials, he was able to get through the bureaucratic red tape like a hot knife through butter.

See also: butter, knife, like, through

like a hot knife through butter

BRITISH, AMERICAN or

like a knife through butter

BRITISH

1. If something goes through something else like a hot knife through butter or like a knife through butter, it goes through it very easily. The edge of the plastic cut through my top lip like a knife through butter. Lasers can slice through rock like a hot knife through butter.

2. If you deal with a problem or difficult situation like a hot knife through butter or like a knife through butter, you deal with it quickly and easily. My sister is practical. She would steer through a situation like ours like a hot knife through butter.

See also: butter, hot, knife, like, through