Idiom of the Week: They Made Short Work of That!

Aunt Mabel: I’ve brought a cake for the children.
Mom: That’s wonderful, Aunt Mabel!
Kids: (each taking a slice of cake) Thanks, Aunt Mabel!
Aunt Mabel: Well, they certainly made short work of that!

To make short work of something is to finish it quickly. In this example, food was made short work of, but it can also be a task or job.

メーベル伯母さん：子供たちにケーキを持ってきたわ。
お母さん：素敵だわ、メーベル伯母さん！
子供たち：（ケーキを一切れずつとって）ありがとう、メーベル伯母さん！
メーベル伯母さん：まあ、もう全部食べてしまったのね！

「To make short work of something」は、はやく終わらせることです。この例文では食べ物をすぐ全部食べましたが、仕事や用事でも使えます。