English idiom

short shrift

Register · Formal CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

very little attention or consideration, usually given dismissively

Word picture

The uncommon word shrift is pictured as being cut short, so consideration ends almost as soon as it begins.

Example

“The committee gave short shrift to concerns raised by local residents.”

Dictionary details

Component words

short

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

draw the short straw

to be selected, often by chance, for an unwanted task or outcome

make short work of

to finish a task or overcome an opponent with surprising speed and ease

fall on deaf ears

to be ignored without producing any response or acknowledgment

make light of

to treat a serious matter as unimportant, often by joking about it

neither here nor there

irrelevant to the matter being discussed

watch this space

used to say that more news or developments will come soon

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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