short shrift

noun

1

: barely adequate time for confession before execution

2

a

: little or no attention or consideration

gave the problem short shrift

b

: quick work

—usually used in the phrase make short shrift of

Did you know?

We’ve got a confession to make, but we’ll keep it brief: while it’s technically possible to make “long shrift” of something, you’re unlikely to find long shrift in our (virtual or actual) pages anytime soon. Short shrift, on the other hand, has been keeping it real—real terse, that is—for centuries. The earliest known use of the phrase comes from William Shakespeare’s play Richard III, in which Lord Hastings, who has been condemned by King Richard to be beheaded, is told by Sir Richard Ratcliffe to “Make a short shrift” as the king “longs to see your head.” Although now archaic, the noun shrift was understood in Shakespeare’s time to refer to the confession or absolution of sins, so “make a short shrift” meant, quite literally, “keep your confession short.” However, since at least the 19th century the phrase has been used figuratively to refer to a small or inadequate amount of time or attention given to something.

Examples of short shrift in a Sentence

He gives short shrift to the author's later works.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Derry and Murphy thought Booker spent too much time creating his tuile, giving short shrift to the lamb and the polenta. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024

Every arc is given short shrift, and most of the story beats are all too predictable. —Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

short shrift

noun

: little or no attention or consideration

gave the problem short shrift