in a nutshell
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adverb: In a concise and summarized manner; stating the most important points in a few words.
Usage
This idiom is used to introduce or describe a very brief summary of something complex or lengthy. It signals that the speaker is about to give or has given the core essence of a matter.
Examples
- He explained the complex theory in a nutshell.
- In a nutshell, the project was a success.
- To put it in a nutshell, we need more time and money.
- "What's the book about?" "Well, in a nutshell, it's a love story set during a war."
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used with verbs like , , , or .
- It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a summary or at the end to conclude one.
- It is a common and informal expression used in both spoken and written English.
Variants and Related Words
- To nutshell (verb, informal): To summarize something extremely concisely.
- Can you nutshell the report for me?
- In short
- In brief
- To sum up
Synonyms
- Concisely
- Succinctly
- Briefly
- In summary
Related Idioms
- The long and short of it: The basic or essential point.
- The long and short of it is that we disagree.
- To make a long story short: Used to introduce a brief summary.
- To make a long story short, we got lost but finally made it home.
Adverb
- summed up briefly
- gave the facts in a nutshell
- just tell me the story in a nutshell
- explained the situation in a nutshell