shortshort1 /ʃɔrt/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective 1
LENGTH/DISTANCE measuring a small amount in length or distance OPP long: She was wearing a short skirt. Anita had her hair cut short. The ladder was too short to reach the window.a short walk/flight/drive The hotel is only a short walk from the beach. There was a loud explosion a short distance away.2TIME happening or continuing for only a little time OPP long: Today’s meeting should be fairly short. I’ve just been living here a short time. A short while later, the doorbell rang. Winter is coming, and the days are getting shorter.a few short hours/days/weeks etc. He’d known her for only a few short days (=they seemed to pass quickly).THESAURUSbrief (also quick) – short, especially because there is not much time available. Brief sounds more formal than quick: We made a brief visit to the museum. I had a quick meeting with my boss.momentary – extremely short: There was a momentary silence when Ryan came in the room.passing – short and not very serious: She hoped his interest in tattoos was just a passing phase.short-lived – short and not as long as someone wanted or hoped: The ceasefire was short-lived.temporary – fairly short and not expected to be permanent: I’m sure it’s only a temporary problem.cursory – done in a very short time, without much attention to details: He gave us a cursory explanation of how the machine worked.ephemeral formal – staying the same for only a short time: Teenage romances are often ephemeral.3PERSON of less than average height OPP tall: She’s short with brown hair. He’s much shorter than I am.4BOOK/SPEECH/LIST ETC. a short book, speech, name, etc. does not have many pages, words, letters, etc. in it OPP long: a short poem → see also short storyTHESAURUSbrief – using only a few words: He left a brief note saying that he would be late.concise – short and clear, and with no unnecessary words: Try to keep your answers as concise as possible.succinct – expressing something well and using very few words: His instructions were always succinct.curt – speaking with very few words, in a way that seems rude: His curt reply to my question made me wonder if I had made him angry.5WITHOUT ENOUGH be short (of something) to not have enough of something that you need, especially when you need a particular amount more: Can you lend me a couple of dollars? I’m still a little short. Supporters are still three votes short of passing the bill. Our libraries are short of funds.6LESS THAN just short of something (also a little short of something) a little less than something: The total cost will be just short of $17 million.7be short on something to have less of something than you should have: He’s a nice guy, but a little short on common sense. The president’s speech was long on promises and short on details.8time is short used to say that there is probably not enough time to do what you need to do: Let’s get to work – time’s getting short.9have a short memory to quickly forget something that you should remember, especially something bad or important: The American public has a very short memory.10short notice if something is short notice, you are told about it only a short time before it happens: Yolanda had to fly to New York on very short notice.11in the short term/run during the period of time that is not very far into the future: The problems will be difficult to resolve in the short term. → see also short-term12be in short supply if something is in short supply, there is not enough of it available: Fresh water was in very short supply.13short and sweet not taking a long time, and better or less boring than you expect: They won’t listen to a long lecture, so just keep it short and sweet.14short of breath unable to breathe easily, especially because you are unhealthy and have been exercising15in short order in a short time and without delay: The bombers destroyed the enemy’s camp in short order.16make short work of something to finish something quickly and easily, especially a meal or a job: The kids made short work of the sandwiches.17be short for something to be a shorter way of saying a name: Her name is Alex, short for Alexandra.18nothing/little short of something used to emphasize that something is very good, very surprising, etc.: Dana’s recovery seemed nothing short of a miracle.19have a short temper/fuse to get angry very easily20draw/get the short straw (also get the short end of the stick) to be given something difficult or bad to do, especially when other people have been given something better21be short with somebody to speak to someone using very few words, in a way that seems impolite or unfriendly22VOWEL eng. lang. arts short vowels in English are the sounds of “a” in “bat,” “e” in “bet,” “i” in “bit,” “o” in “box,” “oo” in “good,” and “u” in “but”[Origin: Old English scort] → see also life is too short (to do something) at life (26), get/be given short shrift at shrift—shortness noun [uncountable]
LENGTH/DISTANCE measuring a small amount in length or distance OPP long: She was wearing a short skirt. Anita had her hair cut short. The ladder was too short to reach the window.a short walk/flight/drive The hotel is only a short walk from the beach. There was a loud explosion a short distance away.2TIME happening or continuing for only a little time OPP long: Today’s meeting should be fairly short. I’ve just been living here a short time. A short while later, the doorbell rang. Winter is coming, and the days are getting shorter.a few short hours/days/weeks etc. He’d known her for only a few short days (=they seemed to pass quickly).THESAURUSbrief (also quick) – short, especially because there is not much time available. Brief sounds more formal than quick: We made a brief visit to the museum. I had a quick meeting with my boss.momentary – extremely short: There was a momentary silence when Ryan came in the room.passing – short and not very serious: She hoped his interest in tattoos was just a passing phase.short-lived – short and not as long as someone wanted or hoped: The ceasefire was short-lived.temporary – fairly short and not expected to be permanent: I’m sure it’s only a temporary problem.cursory – done in a very short time, without much attention to details: He gave us a cursory explanation of how the machine worked.ephemeral formal – staying the same for only a short time: Teenage romances are often ephemeral.3PERSON of less than average height OPP tall: She’s short with brown hair. He’s much shorter than I am.4BOOK/SPEECH/LIST ETC. a short book, speech, name, etc. does not have many pages, words, letters, etc. in it OPP long: a short poem → see also short storyTHESAURUSbrief – using only a few words: He left a brief note saying that he would be late.concise – short and clear, and with no unnecessary words: Try to keep your answers as concise as possible.succinct – expressing something well and using very few words: His instructions were always succinct.curt – speaking with very few words, in a way that seems rude: His curt reply to my question made me wonder if I had made him angry.5WITHOUT ENOUGH be short (of something) to not have enough of something that you need, especially when you need a particular amount more: Can you lend me a couple of dollars? I’m still a little short. Supporters are still three votes short of passing the bill. Our libraries are short of funds.6LESS THAN just short of something (also a little short of something) a little less than something: The total cost will be just short of $17 million.7be short on something to have less of something than you should have: He’s a nice guy, but a little short on common sense. The president’s speech was long on promises and short on details.8time is short used to say that there is probably not enough time to do what you need to do: Let’s get to work – time’s getting short.9have a short memory to quickly forget something that you should remember, especially something bad or important: The American public has a very short memory.10short notice if something is short notice, you are told about it only a short time before it happens: Yolanda had to fly to New York on very short notice.11in the short term/run during the period of time that is not very far into the future: The problems will be difficult to resolve in the short term. → see also short-term12be in short supply if something is in short supply, there is not enough of it available: Fresh water was in very short supply.13short and sweet not taking a long time, and better or less boring than you expect: They won’t listen to a long lecture, so just keep it short and sweet.14short of breath unable to breathe easily, especially because you are unhealthy and have been exercising15in short order in a short time and without delay: The bombers destroyed the enemy’s camp in short order.16make short work of something to finish something quickly and easily, especially a meal or a job: The kids made short work of the sandwiches.17be short for something to be a shorter way of saying a name: Her name is Alex, short for Alexandra.18nothing/little short of something used to emphasize that something is very good, very surprising, etc.: Dana’s recovery seemed nothing short of a miracle.19have a short temper/fuse to get angry very easily20draw/get the short straw (also get the short end of the stick) to be given something difficult or bad to do, especially when other people have been given something better21be short with somebody to speak to someone using very few words, in a way that seems impolite or unfriendly22VOWEL eng. lang. arts short vowels in English are the sounds of “a” in “bat,” “e” in “bet,” “i” in “bit,” “o” in “box,” “oo” in “good,” and “u” in “but”[Origin: Old English scort] → see also life is too short (to do something) at life (26), get/be given short shrift at shrift—shortness noun [uncountable]