Meanings
-
1
adj
Measuring a small length or distance from one end to the other.
She has short hair and wears glasses.
-
2
adj
Lasting only a small amount of time.
We took a short break before continuing the meeting.
-
3
adj
Not having enough of something.
I'm a little short of cash this month.
-
4
adv
Before reaching the point or goal you were aiming for.
Their results fell short of what everyone expected.
Thesaurus
Common collocations
- a short walk Adjective + noun
- short drive Adjective + noun
- short hair Adjective + noun
- short wait Adjective + noun
- short course Adjective + noun
- short film Adjective + noun
- short message Adjective + noun
- short stay Adjective + noun
- short story Adjective + noun
- short visit Adjective + noun
- short notice Adjective + noun
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…