01
kurzerhand
without hesitation
Without lengthy hesitation or further fuss; quickly and decisively.
example
Da der Bus nicht kam, nahm sie kurzerhand ein Taxi.
Since the bus didn't come, she took a taxi without hesitation.
kurzerhand
without hesitation
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is made up of 'kurz' (short) and 'Hand' (hand). The idea is to get something done 'mit kurzer Hand' (with a short hand), meaning without detours and quickly.
EXAMPLE
Er entschied kurzerhand, das Jobangebot anzunehmen.
He decided without hesitation to accept the job offer.
Sentence position
As an adverb, 'kurzerhand' (without hesitation) can be placed flexibly in a sentence. It can appear in position 1, which emphasizes decisiveness, or inside the sentence before or after the object.
EXAMPLE
Kurzerhand packte sie ihre Sachen und verließ das Haus.
Without hesitation, she packed her things and left the house.
Typical collocations
'Kurzerhand' (without hesitation) is often combined with verbs that express a quick decision or action. Typical phrases are 'kurzerhand entscheiden' (to decide without hesitation), 'kurzerhand machen' (to simply do something), or 'kurzerhand absagen' (to cancel without hesitation).
EXAMPLE
Da der letzte Zug weg war, übernachtete er kurzerhand bei einem Freund.
Since the last train had already left, he simply stayed overnight at a friend's place.
Compare with
kurzerhand vs sofort
immediately
'sofort' and 'kurzerhand' can both express that something happens quickly. The difference is in the focus: 'sofort' emphasizes the timing, meaning without delay. 'kurzerhand' emphasizes a quick, decisive decision without a long discussion or preparation. 'sofort' fits almost any situation, including commands or reactions. 'kurzerhand' sounds more natural when someone solves a problem simply and directly.
kurzerhand
Als der Bus nicht kam, nahm Herr Schneider kurzerhand ein Taxi.
When the bus didn’t come, Mr. Schneider took a taxi without hesitation.
sofort
Wir müssen die Rechnung sofort bezahlen, sonst gibt es eine Mahnung.
We have to pay the bill immediately, otherwise there will be a reminder.
In real life
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