low-hanging fruit

low-hanging fruit
n.
The easiest task or the most readily achievable goal.
Example Citation:
The decline can be attributed in part to a deliberate change of approach. "We're trying to de-emphasize summonses that do not have a direct impact on traffic flow and quality of life," Mr. Riccio said. "Not cutting your wheels to the curb is a classic example of a summons that doesn't greatly contribute to the traffic mission of the department."
Other examples of "low-hanging fruit" that agents are encouraged to ignore, according to a department memo explaining the decline in tickets, are illegally parked cars in residential areas during early-morning hours on Sundays, expired inspection stickers, cars faced the wrong way on dead-end streets and wheels aligned more than 12 inches from the curb.
— Lisa W. Foderaro, "Fewer Tickets As Goal Shifts From Revenue," The New York Times, September 12, 1993
Earliest Citation:
The ability to store background material electronically helps make the department's releases easier to prepare and more timely, and it reduces the need for filing space and paper. And Herbert's secretary recently sent him a three page memo listing her ideas for spending the time the processor saves her. Herbert expects corporate communications will be able to harvest even more benefits in the future. "So far," he says, "we're only grabbing the low-hanging fruit."
— David Kull, "Knowing when to shout 'Eureka!'," Computer Decisions, June 15, 1984
Related Words: Categories:
looks like the emphasis has changed from "really useful, but easy" to "not worthwhile, but easy"

New words. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • low-hanging fruit — ˌlow hanging ˈfruit noun [uncountable] informal a job that is easy to do, or something that is very easy to achieve: • It s not just individuals who are seduced by low hanging fruit. Companies get sucked into get rich quick schemes too. * * * low …   Financial and business terms

  • low-hanging fruit —    Low hanging fruit are things that are easily achieved.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    To refer to something as a low hanging fruit means that it is a target that can be easily reached, or a goal that can be accomplished with a minimum …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • low-hanging fruit — are things that are easily achieved …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • Low-Hanging Fruit — A commonly used metaphor for doing the simplest or easiest work first. In sales, it means a target that is easy to achieve or a problem that is easy to solve. It refers to the sale of consumer products or services that are easier to sell. A low… …   Investment dictionary

  • low-hanging fruit — /ˌloʊ hæŋɪŋ ˈfrut/ (say .loh hanging frooht) noun 1. fruit on a tree which is hanging within easy reach of a person wishing to pick it. 2. an easily obtainable objective …  

  • low-hanging fruit — noun Easily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means …   Wiktionary

  • low-hanging fruit — noun (plural same) informal something easily achieved or overcome …   English new terms dictionary

  • low-hanging fruit — UK / US noun [uncountable] things that are easy to get, achieve, or deal with …   English dictionary

  • low-hanging fruit — n. The easy pickings, the obvious steps that an organization should take to improve its performance or take advantage of new opportunities …   Business English jargon and slang

  • low-hanging fruit — /ˌləυ hæŋɪŋ fru:t/ noun an easy short term sales or market opportunity which provides a quick profit without too much effort (informal) …   Marketing dictionary in english

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