short
Looking for the meaning of short? Explore definitions, parts of speech, and usage examples below.
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A short circuit.
A short film.
A short version of a garment in a particular size.
“38 short suits fit me right off the rack.”
A shortstop.
“Jones smashes a grounder between third and short.”
A short seller.
“The market decline was terrible, but the shorts were buying champagne.”
A short sale.
“He closed out his short at a modest loss after three months.”
A summary account.
A short sound, syllable, or vowel.
An integer variable having a smaller range than normal integers; usually two bytes long.
An automobile; especially in crack shorts, to break into automobiles.
To cause a short circuit in (something).
Of an electrical circuit, to short circuit.
To shortchange.
To provide with a smaller than agreed or labeled amount.
“This is the third time I’ve caught them shorting us.”
To sell something, especially securities, that one does not own at the moment for delivery at a later date in hopes of profiting from a decline in the price; to sell short.
To shorten.
Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.
(of a person) Of comparatively small height.
Having little duration.
“Our meeting was a short six minutes today. Every day for the past month it’s been at least twenty minutes long.”
(followed by for) Of a word or phrase, constituting an abbreviation (for another) or shortened form (of another).
““Phone” is short for “telephone” and "asap" short for "as soon as possible".”
(of a fielder or fielding position) that is relatively close to the batsman.
(of a ball) that bounced relatively far from the batsman.
(of an approach shot or putt) that falls short of the green or the hole.
(of pastries) Brittle, crumbly, especially due to the use of a large quantity of fat. (See shortbread, shortcake, shortcrust, shortening.)
Abrupt; brief; pointed; petulant.
“He gave a short answer to the question.”
Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty.
“a short supply of provisions”
Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied, especially with money; scantily furnished; lacking.
“I'd lend you the cash but I'm a little short at present.”
Deficient; less; not coming up to a measure or standard.
“an account which is short of the truth”
Undiluted; neat.
Not distant in time; near at hand.
Being in a financial investment position that is structured to be profitable if the price of the underlying security declines in the future.
“I'm short General Motors because I think their sales are plunging.”
Abruptly, curtly, briefly.
“He cut me short repeatedly in the meeting.”
Unawares.
“The recent developments at work caught them short.”
Without achieving a goal or requirement.
“His speech fell short of what was expected.”
(of the manner of bounce of a cricket ball) Relatively far from the batsman and hence bouncing higher than normal; opposite of full.
With a negative ownership position.
“We went short most finance companies in July.”
Deficient in.
“He's short common sense.”
Having a negative position in.
“I don’t want to be short the market going into the weekend.”
Understanding "short"
The word **"short"** is a **noun** in the English language. It is phonetically pronounced as **/ʃoːt/**. Explore the detailed meaning, morphological structure, and usage examples for **"short"** in our dictionary below.
The English language is incredibly vast, and diving into the definition of the word "short" provides a perfect example of its linguistic depth. Categorized primarily as a noun, the term "short" holds specific syntactical roles within a sentence, allowing speakers and writers to convey precise meaning. Understanding how this word functions is an excellent step towards mastering advanced English vocabulary and improving overall reading comprehension.
For those looking to perfect their spoken English, noting the phonetic pronunciation of "short" is crucial. It is typically transcribed as /ʃoːt/. Proper enunciation ensures that your intended message is received clearly, preventing miscommunication in both formal and casual settings. Linguistic scholars often track the phonological evolution of words like "short" to understand broader historical shifts in dialects and accents across different English-speaking populations.
When deciding how to use "short" in everyday communication, it helps to look at exactly how it operates as a noun. In professional writing, academic essays, and creative literature, choosing the perfect vocabulary word can drastically elevate the tone of the text. Because "short" carries its own unique connotations and denotations, swapping it for a simpler synonym might dilute the impact of your sentence.
Our comprehensive dictionary tool is designed to provide immediate, reliable definitions for thousands of terms, including "short". By consistently exploring the nuances of vocabulary—including phonetics (/ʃoːt/), part of speech (noun), and usage examples—you can significantly expand your linguistic repertoire. Bookmark this page as a quick reference tool whenever you encounter "short" in reading materials or wish to incorporate it into your active vocabulary.
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How do I use short in a sentence?
Refer to the usage examples above to see how "short" can be used in academic and casual conversations.