> Undertake something in what appears to be the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often by omitting to do something important or ignoring rules.
>Economise on time, money, materials or effort, perhaps unwisely
>To do something in a cheap and easy way
>To do something by the easiest /fastest /cheapest method, at the expense of doing it properly
The idiom has been used since the 1800s and related to rounding a corner instead of taking the proper route. This shortened the distance from one end to another.
Example
It is certainly not a sensible move to cut corners with national security.
His mom often had to cut corners when we were kids in order to feed all of us.
When the wheels came off his bike at high speed, he immediately regretted cutting corners when he’d repaired it.