short
/ʃɔːt/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
- 1.
Having little length or height. A short person or thing is not tall or does not extend far.
- She has short hair.
- The road is short and easy.
- He gave a short answer.
- 2.
Continuing for only a little time. A short meeting, trip, or break does not last long.
- We took a short break.
- It's a short film.
- They stayed for a short time.
- 3.
Not enough in amount, number, or time. If you are short of something, you do not have enough of it.
- We are short of sugar.
- The team was short of players.
- I was short on money.
adverb
In a brief way, usually in the phrase 'cut short' or 'fall short'.
- He cut the story short.
- The plan fell short of success.
- Please speak short and clear.
Adinary Nuance
Short is the basic, everyday word for low length or brief time. Use brief in more formal writing, and small when you mean size, not length. Use short of when you mean 'not enough', which is different from 'brief' or 'small'.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- ngắn
- Spanish
- corto
- Chinese
- 短
- Japanese
- 短い
- Korean
- 짧은
Etymology
Old English sceort meant 'not long' or 'brief'. It has stayed close to that core meaning in modern English.
Common phrases
short timeshort answershort ofcut short
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between short and brief?
- Short is more common and general. Brief is a little more formal, especially in writing.
- Can short mean 'not enough'?
- Yes. We say short of money, short of time, or short of staff.
- Is short used for height?
- Yes. It can describe someone who is not tall.
- Is short a formal word?
- It is neutral and very common. It works in speech and writing.