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short

/ʃɔːrt/
adjectivenoun★Beginner— having little length or duration
general

having little length or duration

She has short hair.

Her hair is not long.

We took a short break.

We took a brief break.

💡

Often used to describe physical length or time duration.

informal

not reaching a required standard or amount

The company is short of cash.

The company does not have enough money.

💡

Commonly used in informal contexts to describe a lack of something.

💻Technology
technical

a short circuit in electronics

The short caused the device to malfunction.

The short circuit made the device stop working.

💡

In electronics, a short refers to an unintended connection.

Collocations

short breaka brief pauseshort temperquick to get angryshort on timenot having enough time

Synonyms

briefconcisecompactlimitedinsufficient

Antonyms

longextendedlengthyabundantsufficient

Related Phrases

short and sweetphrase
brief and to the point
short-livedphrase
lasting only a brief time

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'Short' is often used to describe physical length or time, but can also describe a lack of something.

⚡Gold Rule

Adjective vs. Noun

As an adjective, 'short' describes length or duration; as a noun, it refers to a short circuit in electronics.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'short', from Old English 'sceort', of Germanic origin.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used as an adjective to describe physical length or time, or as a noun in technical contexts.

Word Breakdown

short
little length or duration
root
English Dictionary

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