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 : low
2 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 a of 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> c of a syllable in prosody (1) : of relatively brief duration (2) : unstressed
4 : 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 2
8 : payable at an early date <a short loan>
9 a : containing or cooked with shortening; also : flaky <short pastry> b of metal : brittle under certain conditions
10 a : not lengthy or drawn out <a short speech> b : made briefer : abbreviated
11 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