Idiom: In a nutshell
Idiom: in a nutshell
The woman in the picture above is sitting inside a nutshell. Can you guess what the idiom 'in a nutshell' means?
In a nutshell: a brief / short summary of something.
Notes:
The woman is inside a nutshell — the shell (outer part) of a nut (a small dry fruit that grows on trees or bushes). She's holding a paper and reading something.
Since the shell of a nut is so small any paper you could fit inside it would also have to be very small — so you'd only be able to write a few words or a brief summary of something.
Sentence examples
— In a nutshell, my parents grounded me for five weeks after they caught me smoking behind the house.
— I'm sorry to interrupt you but could you please give us your point in a nutshell?
— It's a long and complicated story but in a nutshell, we're just barely going to make our financial targets this quarter.
— I told my mother that, in a nutshell, my boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend and instead of just comforting me she wanted to know all the sordid details.
— In a nutshell, we're going to have to close the company. Unfortunately, we won't be able to give further details until the end of the week.
— We've just got five minutes left so does anyone want to give us their update in a nutshell?
— In a nutshell, my client is innocent and we look forward to proving this during the trial.
— I'm sorry but you cannot just answer the essay with the facts in a nutshell—you then have to explain how you used those facts to reach your conclusion.
— For once, can you please give us the story In a nutshell? We just need the important facts.
— In a nutshell, you're fired. Please pack up your desk and leave now.
— A: “The dog ate your homework?” B: “In a nutshell, yes.”
— It was the most boring movie I’ve ever seen. In a nutshell: girl meets boy, falls in love, and they live happily ever after.
— In a nutshell, we're putting you on probation. You've been late every day for two weeks and we need a reliable receptionist.
Did you like the comic? I'm not sure that a coconut shell would even be big enough to hold that marketing plan!
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