Word: short Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.? Proto-Germanic *skertaną Proto-Germanic *skurtaz Proto-West Germanic *skurt Old English sċort Middle English schort English short From Middle English schort, short, from Old English sċeort, sċort (“short”), from Proto-West Germanic *skurt, from Proto-Germanic *skurtaz (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-. Doublet of shirt, skirt, and curt. Cognates Cognate with Scots short, schort (“short”), French court, Dutch kort, German kurz, Old High German scurz (“short”) (whence Middle High German schurz), Old Norse skorta (“to lack”) (whence Danish skorte), Albanian shkurt (“short, brief”), Latin curtus (“shortened, incomplete”) and Proto-Slavic *kortъkъ. See more at shirt. Pronunciation: /ʃɔːt/, /ʃɔɹt/, [ʃɔɹʔ] 1. Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically. 2. Of a person, living being, or object, having a comparatively small height. Example: Nhung Ngo had the shortest legs at Site-43. She was the shortest member of staff, two inches beneath the positively elfin Delfina Ibanez, and yet Lillian found her inexplicably difficult to shake. Power-walking down the halls didn't do the trick, as it always did when Wettle-dodging, since the diminutive headshrink kept disappearing into commissaries or service corridors or even other people's offices and emerging, smiling, in front of her. 3. Having little duration. Example: Our meeting was a short six minutes today. Every day for the past month it’s been at least twenty minutes long. Example: The results of this generalized speedup of the corporate metabolism are multiple: shorter product life cycles, more leasing and renting, more frequent buying and selling, more ephemeral consumption patterns, […] 4. Of a word or phrase, constituting an abbreviation (for another) or shortened form (of another). Example: "Phone" is short for "telephone" and "asap" short for "as soon as possible". 5. Of a fielder or fielding position, that is relatively close to the batsman. 6. Of a ball, bowled so that it bounces relatively far from the batsman. 7. Of an approach shot or putt, that falls short of the green or the hole. 8. Of betting odds, offering a small return for the money wagered. 9. Of pastries or (metallurgy) of materials, brittle, crumbly. Example: shortbread Example: hot short 10. Abrupt, brief, pointed, curt. Example: He gave a short answer to the question. Example: “We are short to-night!” cries the woman, with a propitiatory laugh. “Short and snappish we are! […]” 11. Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty. Example: a short supply of provisions 12. Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied, especially with money; scantily furnished; lacking. Example: to be short of money Example: I'd lend you the cash but I'm a little short at present. 13. Deficient; less; not coming up to a measure or standard. Example: an account which is short of the truth Example: […]the people are worn down with taxes, and hardly anything short of an invasion could rouse them again to war. 14. Undiluted; neat. Labels: colloquial Example: “There ain’t no drain of nothing short handy, is there?” said the Chicken, generally. “This here sluicing night is hard lines to a man as lives on his condition.” Captain Cuttle proffered a glass of rum […] Example: Delance raised his beer and watched Hoadly throw down another swig of hard stuff. "Take it short if you want to make it over the mountain tonight." 15. Not distant in time; near at hand. Labels: obsolete Example: Marinell was sore offended / That his departure thence should be so short. Example: He commanded those who were appointed to attend him to be ready by a short day. 16. Being in a financial investment position that is structured to be profitable if the price of the underlying security declines in the future. Example: short position Example: I'm short in General Motors because I think their sales are plunging. 17. Doubtful of, skeptical of. Labels: broadly 18. Of money, given in the fewest possible notes, i.e. those of the largest denomination. Labels: dated Example: He pulled a cheque-book from his pocket, and drew for two hundred thousand pounds. “I'll take it short,” he said […]