short short /ˈʃɔrt/

adjective

1. () Primarily temporal sense; indicating, being or seeming to be limited in duration  ( short )
   primarily temporal sense; indicating, being or seeming to be limited in duration
    A short life
   a short life
    A short flight
   a short flight
    A short holiday
   a short holiday
    A short story
   a short story
    Only a few short months
   only a few short months
   
2. () (primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length  ( short )
   (primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length
    Short skirts
   short skirts
    Short hair
   short hair
    The board was a foot short
   the board was a foot short
    A short toss
   a short toss
   
3. () Low in stature; not tall  ( little , short )
   low in stature; not tall
    He was short and stocky
   he was short and stocky
    Short in stature
   short in stature
    A short smokestack
   a short smokestack
    A little man
   a little man
   
4. () Of insufficient quantity to meet a need  ( inadequate , jejune , poor , short )
   of insufficient quantity to meet a need
    An inadequate income
   an inadequate income
    A poor salary
   a poor salary
    Money is short
   money is short
    On short rations
   on short rations
    Food is in short supply
   food is in short supply
    Short on experience
   short on experience
    The jejune diets of the very poor
   the jejune diets of the very poor
   
5. Marked by rude or peremptory shortness  ( brusk [Non-standard] , brusque , curt , short , snippy [Informal] )
   marked by rude or peremptory shortness
    Try to cultivate a less brusque manner
   try to cultivate a less brusque manner
    A curt reply
   a curt reply
    The salesgirl was very short with him
   the salesgirl was very short with him
   
6. Tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening  ( short )
   tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening
    Shortbread is a short crumbly cookie
   shortbread is a short crumbly cookie
    A short flaky pie crust
   a short flaky pie crust
   
7. (phonetics) of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration  ( short )
   (phonetics) of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration
    The English vowel sounds in pat', pet', pit', pot', putt' are short
   the English vowel sounds in pat', pet', pit', pot', putt' are short
   
8. (finance) not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices  ( short )
   (finance) not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices
    A short sale
   a short sale
    Short in cotton
   short in cotton
   
9. Lacking foresight or scope  ( myopic , short , unforesightful , shortsighted )
   lacking foresight or scope
    A short view of the problem
   a short view of the problem
    Shortsighted policies
   shortsighted policies
    Shortsighted critics derided the plan
   shortsighted critics derided the plan
    Myopic thinking
   myopic thinking
   
10. (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range  ( short , unretentive , forgetful )
    (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range
     A short memory
    a short memory
    
11. Less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so  ( light , short , scant )
    less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
     A light pound
    a light pound
     A scant cup of sugar
    a scant cup of sugar
     Regularly gives short weight
    regularly gives short weight
    

adverb

1. () Quickly and without warning  ( dead , short , abruptly , suddenly )
   quickly and without warning
    He stopped suddenly
   he stopped suddenly
   
2. In a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner  ( short , curtly , shortly )
   in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner
    He told me curtly to get on with it
   he told me curtly to get on with it
    He talked short with everyone
   he talked short with everyone
    He said shortly that he didn't like it
   he said shortly that he didn't like it
   
3. At a disadvantage  ( short , unawares )
   at a disadvantage
    I was caught short
   I was caught short
   
4. So as to interrupt  ( short )
   so as to interrupt
    She took him up short before he could continue
   She took him up short before he could continue
   
5. At some point or distance before a goal is reached  ( short )
   at some point or distance before a goal is reached
    He fell short of our expectations
   he fell short of our expectations
   
6. Clean across  ( short )
   clean across
    The car's axle snapped short
   the car's axle snapped short
   
7. (finance) without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold  ( short )
   (finance) without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold
    He made his fortune by selling short just before the crash
   he made his fortune by selling short just before the crash
   

noun

1. () The location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed  ( short )
   the location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed
   
2. The fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base  ( short , shortstop )
   the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base
   
3. Accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference  ( short , short circuit )
   accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference
   

verb

1. Create a short circuit in  ( short , short-circuit )
   create a short circuit in
   
2. Cheat someone by not returning him enough money  ( short , short-change )
   cheat someone by not returning him enough money