US /ʃɔɹt/ UK /ʃɔːt/
adv adj Freq #850

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Measuring a small length or distance from one end to the other.

    She has short hair and wears glasses.

  2. 2
    adj

    Lasting only a small amount of time.

    We took a short break before continuing the meeting.

  3. 3
    adj

    Not having enough of something.

    I'm a little short of cash this month.

  4. 4
    adv

    Before reaching the point or goal you were aiming for.

    Their results fell short of what everyone expected.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
lowscrimpshortsomestubbedstubbystumpy
Opposites
Word family
Forms shortedshortershortestshortingshorts
Derived forms shortstown
Related forms heightismpipsqueakshortnessshortsshorty

Common collocations

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.? Proto-Germanic *skertaną Proto-Germanic *skurtaz Proto-West Germanic *skurt Old English sċort Middle English schort English short From Middle English schort, short, from Old English sċeort, sċort (“short”), from Proto-West Germanic *skurt, from Proto-Germanic *skurtaz (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-. Doublet of shirt, skirt, and curt. Cognates Cognate with Scots short, schort (“short”), French court, Dutch kort, German kurz, Old High German scurz (“short”) (whence Middle High German schurz), Old Norse skorta (“to lack”) (whence Dani…

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Topics

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