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short(adjective)/ʃɔːt/ /ʃɔːrt/- measuring or covering a small length or distance, or a smaller length or distance than usual
OPPOSITE long
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/long_2 - He had short curly hair.
- a short walk/distance
- a short skirt
- She decided to cut her hair short.
Extra Examples- a relatively short distance of 50 to 100 miles
- Sheila waved her short stubby arms in the air.
- The little boy ran as fast as his short legs could carry him.
- small in height
OPPOSITE tall
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/tall - He was a short, fat little man.
- She was short and dumpy.
- What did he look like? Was he dark or fair? Tall or short?
Extra Examples- I'm slightly shorter than you.
- He was too short to be admitted into the army.
- He had no beard and was short in stature.
- lasting or taking a small amount of time or less time than usual
OPPOSITE long
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/long_2 - a short time/period/while
- The government is suggesting a relatively short consultation period.
- a programme of short films
- The short answer to your query is that he has acted completely illegally.
- a short book (= that does not have many pages and so does not take long to read)
- She has a very short memory (= remembers only things that have happened recently).
- It was all over in a relatively short space of time.
- They have achieved spectacular results in a remarkably short span of time.
- I'm going to France for a short break.
- She made a short trip to Chicago last July.
- Which is the shortest day of the year?
- When it comes to your presentation, keep it short and simple.
- I'm sorry it's such short notice—we didn't know ourselves until today.
Extra Examples- The days are getting shorter and shorter.
- The interview was mercifully short.
- I've only read the shorter version of the report.
- Try to keep your sentences short.
- Most strikes tend to be of short duration.
- They commissioned ten short pieces of music from ten composers.
- The centre runs short courses in a variety of subjects.
- seeming to have passed very quickly
OPPOSITE long
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/long_2 - Just two short years ago he was the best player in the country.
- not having enough of something; being without something
- I'm afraid I'm a little short (= of money) this month.
- She is not short of excuses when things go wrong.
Extra Examples- His performance was woefully short of conviction.
- Mike was a bit short of cash just then.
- United looked woefully short of menace in attack.
- We're getting short of funds.
- not having enough of a particular quality
- He was a big, strong guy but short on brains.
- If you're short on time, skip these steps and go straight to step five.
- The article is pretty short on details.
- not easily available; not supplying as much as you need
- Money was short at that time.
- There's still hope a buyer for the company can be found, but time is short.
Extra Examples- If space is really short, that door can be moved.
- When food was short they used to pick berries in the woods.
- less than the number, amount or distance mentioned or needed
- Her last throw was only three centimetres short of the world record.
- The team was five players short.
- She was just short of her 90th birthday when she died.
- having difficulty breathing, for example because of illness
- a fat man, always short of breath
- being a shorter form of a name or word
- Call me Jo—it's short for Joanna.
- file transfer protocol or FTP for short
- speaking to somebody using few words in a way that seems rude
- I'm sorry I was short with you earlier—I had other things on my mind.
- a short vowel is pronounced for a shorter time than other vowels
OPPOSITE long
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/long_2 - Compare the short vowel in ‘full’ and the long vowel in ‘fool’.
- not long in advance; without warning or time for preparation
- This was the best room we could get at such short notice.
- You must be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
Extra Examples- It's the best we can do at such short notice.
- The team is ready to go anywhere in the world at a moment's notice.
- stupid; not very intelligent
- the whole of something or less of something than you expect or should have
- We experienced the full measure of their hospitality.
- The concert only lasted an hour, so we felt we were getting short measure.
- to be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task
- to give somebody little attention or sympathy; to get little attention or sympathy
- to tend to get angry quickly and easily
- to become angry easily
SEE ALSO quick-tempered
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/quick-tempered
- used to describe what will happen a long, short, etc. time in the future
- Such a development seems unlikely, at least in the short term (= it will not happen for quite a long time).
- In the longer term, children of depressed mothers are more likely to suffer from childhood depression.
- In the long term, our efforts will pay off.
- quickly and without trouble
- relating to the immediate future
- In the short run, unemployment may fall.
- not existing in large enough quantities to satisfy demand
- Basic foodstuffs were in short supply.
- Sunshine will be in short supply for the west coast.
- Safe drinking water is in desperately short supply.
- (still) only a boy
- I was still in short trousers at the time.
- used to say that it is not worth wasting time doing something that you dislike or that is not important
- Life's too short to sit around moping.
- used when you are saying that something is almost true, or is equal to something
- Last year's figures were little short of disastrous.
- The transformation has been nothing short of a miracle.
- used when you are saying that you will get to the point of what you are saying quickly, without including all the details
- To cut a long story short, we didn’t get home until 3 in the morning!
- Anyway, long story short: we had this argument and I haven't seen him since.
- to defeat, deal with something/somebody quickly
- Liverpool made short work of the opposition (= in a football match).
- He made short work of his lunch (= ate it quickly).
- Mike made short work of fixing the engine.
- not lasting a long time but pleasant while it lasts
- We haven't much time so I'll keep it short and sweet.
- very stupid
Word Origin- Old English sceort, of Germanic origin; related to shirt and skirt.
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