adjective
short
shawt
adjective
1
Not long in length, distance, or duration.
"It was a short walk to the station."
"We only have a short time before the meeting."
2
Of a person, not tall.
"He was short compared to his older brother."
3
Curt or abrupt in manner.
"She was a bit short with me on the phone."
4
Lacking enough of something, especially money.
"We're short on staff this week."
"I'm a bit short this month, can I pay you back later?"
verb
1
In finance, to bet that a stock or asset's price will fall by selling it before buying it back cheaper.
"The hedge fund shorted the airline's stock before the crash."
2
To cause a short circuit in an electrical device.
"Water got into the socket and shorted the whole circuit."
How to Use Short
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot long, not tall, not enough, or (in finance/electronics) a specific technical action.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "shorts" (the garment or the finance term) with "short" the adjective — context usually makes it obvious, but "shorting a stock" is a distinct financial meaning worth knowing.
Common pairings
short on time
short circuit
short notice
short-tempered
run short
Word Forms
shorter comparative, shorted past tense, shorts singular, shortest superlative
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It was a _____ walk to the station.
Etymology
From Old English sceort, sċort ("short"), from a Proto-Germanic root — a doublet of "shirt", "skirt", and "curt".