short

Word Origin & History

Old English sceort, scort "short, not long, not tall; brief," probably from Proto-Germanic *skurta- (cf. Old Norse skorta "to be short of," skort "shortness;" Old High German scurz "short"), from PIE root *(s)ker- (1) "to cut," with notion of "something cut off" (cf. Sanskrit krdhuh "shortened, maimed, small;" Latin curtus "short," cordus "late-born," originally "stunted in growth;" Old Church Slavonic kratuku, Russian korotkij "short;" Lithuanian skurstu "to be stunted," skardus "steep;" Old Irish cert "small," Middle Irish corr "stunted, dwarfish").

Meaning "having an insufficient quantity" is from 1690s. Meaning "rude" is attested from late 14c. Meaning "easily provoked" is from 1590s; perhaps the notion is of being "not long in tolerating." Short fuse in figurative sense of "quick temper" first attested 1968. To fall short is from archery. Short run "relatively brief period of time" is from 1879. Short story first recorded 1877. To make short work of "dispose of quickly" is first attested 1570s. Phrase short and sweet is from 1530s. To be short by the knees (1733) was to be kneeling; to be short by the head (1540s) was to be beheaded.

Example Sentences forshort

In a short time, I shall not have sufficient strength to impart all I have to say.

Paris on short notice will be cosily and coaxingly intimate.

But the short of it is, Henry found himself facing work or starvation.

And Dennet,” Stephen added with a short laugh, “she could not wait for you.

I never knew a man to get so intimate on short acquaintance.

The narrative was broken off short by a cry of jubilee in the court.

But then the Pasteur was short, and his brother was a dwarf.

Cut deeper; the knife is too short: deeper, mia brave Corneliolina!

There is no short cut to the making of these ideals into glad realities.

But his croup sloped down too much, and he had a short neck.

short

crusty

cursory

curt

deficient

ephemeral

failing

few

fewer

short

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