shortest

adj.abridged
adj.not tall
adj.insufficient
adj.abrupt, discourteous
adj.crumbly

Antonyms for shortest

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 forshortest

I call it an apparition, because that's the shortest way out.

In this as in most cases, the shortest and safest way to seem is to be.

Since they are very perishable, they must reach the market in the shortest time.

And the shortest day when the sun has the greatest minus declination.

Even to him the best grammar is the shortest and that in which he will have least to unlearn.

I made my best speech and my shortest in church this morning—I will.

Their task was over, and they sought the shortest route to their homes.

The election address of one candidate is the shortest I have ever seen.

It was also the crop that brought the largest returns in the shortest time.

“The trail is the shortest cut I know,” replied Hardy, concealing a smile.

shortest

More words related to shortest

direct