Main Entry:

¹short

Pronunciation:

\ˈshȯrt\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English sceort; akin to Old High German scurz short, Old Norse skortr lack

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: having little length b: not tall or high : low2 a: not extended in time : brief <a short vacation> b: not retentive <a short memory> c: expeditious, quick <made short work of the problem> d: seeming to pass quickly <made great progress in just a few short years>3 aof a speech sound : having a relatively short duration b: being the member of a pair of similarly spelled vowel or vowel-containing sounds that is descended from a vowel that was short in duration but is no longer so and that does not necessarily have duration as its chief distinguishing feature <short i in sin> cof a syllable in prosody (1): of relatively brief duration (2): unstressed4: limited in distance <a short trip>5 a: not coming up to a measure or requirement : insufficient <in short supply> b: not reaching far enough <the throw to first was short> c: enduring privation d: insufficiently supplied <short of cash> <short on brains>6 a: abrupt, curt <I'm sorry I was short with you> b: quickly provoked <a short temper>7: choppy 28: payable at an early date <a short loan>9 a: containing or cooked with shortening ; also : flaky <short pastry> bof metal : brittle under certain conditions10 a: not lengthy or drawn out <a short speech> b: made briefer : abbreviated11 a: not having goods or property that one has sold in anticipation of a fall in prices b: consisting of, relating to, or engaging in the sale of securities or commodities that the seller does not possess or has not contracted for at the time of the sale <short sale> <a short seller>12: near the end of a tour of duty

— short·ish \ˈshȯr-tish\ adjective

— short·ness \ˈshȯrt-nəs\ noun

— in short order

: with dispatch : quickly