The meaning of Short

adjective

Shortened; cut short.

Usage examples:

An abbreviated version of the earlier work

verb

Shorten (a word, phrase, or text).

Usage examples:

‘network’ is often abbreviated to ‘net’

adjective

Shorter than usual or shorter than expected

Usage examples:

In abbreviated form the show was broadcast in abbreviated form the next day., they exchanged a pass…

adjective

(of a piece of writing) having been shortened.

Usage examples:

An abridged text of the speech

verb

Shorten (a piece of writing) without losing the sense.

Usage examples:

The introduction is abridged from the author's afterword to the novel

adjective

Made shorter by having some details or less important information removed

Usage examples:

The abridged edition/version of her novel, the abridged article was first published in 2010.

adjective

Sudden and unexpected.

Usage examples:

I was surprised by the abrupt change of subject

adjective

Sudden and not expected, often with unpleasant results

Usage examples:

There was an abrupt change in her mood., we came to an abrupt curve in the road., his abrupt manner…

adjective

(of a cutting implement) not having a sharp edge or point.

Usage examples:

A blunt knife

verb

Make or become less sharp.

Usage examples:

Wood can blunt your axe

noun

A hollowed-out cigar filled with cannabis.

Usage examples:

Consequently, marijuana use in blunts may persist longer into adulthood for a larger proportion of …

adjective

Of short duration; not lasting for long.

Usage examples:

The president made a brief working visit to moscow

noun

A set of instructions given to a person about a job or task.

Usage examples:

His brief is to turn round the county's fortunes

verb

Instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in preparation for a task.

Usage examples:

She briefed him on last week's decisions

adjective

Hard but liable to break easily.

Usage examples:

Her bones became fragile and brittle

noun

A brittle sweet made from nuts and set melted sugar.

Usage examples:

Peanut brittle

adjective

Abrupt or offhand in speech or manner.

Usage examples:

She could be brusque and impatient

adjective

Quick and direct in manner or speech, and often not polite

Usage examples:

As the president’s chief of staff, he offended many with his brusque manner.

adjective

Closely and neatly packed together; dense.

Usage examples:

A compact cluster of houses

verb

Exert force on (something) so that it becomes more dense; compress.

Usage examples:

The rubbish was taken to the depot to be compacted

noun

A small flat case containing face powder, a mirror, and a powder puff.

Usage examples:

Looking once more in her compact's mirror, she got out of the limo and ran up to hug him.

adjective

Giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive.

Usage examples:

A concise account of the country's history

adjective

Expressing what needs to be said without unnecessary words; short and clear

Usage examples:

She wrote up a concise summary of the day’s events.

adjective

Made denser or more concise; compressed or concentrated.

Usage examples:

A condensed version of the report

verb

Make (something) denser or more concentrated.

Usage examples:

The morning play on saturday was condensed into a half-hour package

adjective

With water removed

Usage examples:

Condensed soup

adjective

(of a substance) firm, dry, and brittle.

Usage examples:

Crisp bacon

noun

A wafer-thin slice of potato fried or baked until crisp and eaten as a snack.

Usage examples:

Cut down on fatty snacks such as crisps

verb

Give (food) a crisp surface by placing it in an oven or under a grill.

Usage examples:

Crisp the pitta in the oven

adjective

(of food) having a firm, dry, and brittle surface or texture.

Usage examples:

Crispy fried bacon

adjective

Crispy food is hard enough to be broken easily

Usage examples:

Crispy bacon

adjective

Consisting of or easily breaking into small fragments.

Usage examples:

The cheese has a sharp flavour and is crumbly and moist

noun

An old person.

Usage examples:

The high proportion of crumblies in the population

adjective

Breaking easily into small pieces

Usage examples:

Bread with a crumbly texture

adjective

Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.

Usage examples:

A cursory glance at the figures

adjective

Done quickly with little attention to detail

Usage examples:

He gave the picture a cursory glance.

adjective

Rudely brief.

Usage examples:

His reply was curt

adjective

Extending or moving from one place to another without changing direction or stopping.

Usage examples:

There was no direct flight that day

adverb

With no one or nothing in between.

Usage examples:

They seem reluctant to deal with me direct

verb

Control the operations of; manage or govern.

Usage examples:

An economic elite directed the nation's affairs

adjective

Showing rudeness and a lack of consideration for other people.

Usage examples:

It would be unkind and discourteous to decline a visit

adjective

Not caring enough about other people’s feelings; not polite

Usage examples:

I felt it was discourteous of him to leave immediately after his talk., [ c ] she was never guilty …

noun

(in folklore or fantasy literature) a member of a mythical race of short, stocky humanlike creatures who are generally skilled in mining and metalworking.

Usage examples:

It is set in the world of the traditional fairy tale, with a cast of elves, dwarves, trolls and gob…

adjective

Denoting something, especially an animal or plant, that is much smaller than the usual size for its type or species.

Usage examples:

A dwarf conifer

verb

Cause to seem small or insignificant in comparison.

Usage examples:

The buildings surround and dwarf all saints church

adjective

Giving good value or return in relation to the money, time, or effort expended.

Usage examples:

A small, economical car

adjective

Not using a lot of money, energy, etc.

Usage examples:

With rents so high, it wasn’t economical to continue to live in the city.

adjective

Not using a lot of fuel, money, space, etc.

Usage examples:

What's the most economical way of heating this building?, most printer software lets you fit four p…

adjective

Lasting for a very short time.

Usage examples:

Fashions are ephemeral: new ones regularly drive out the old

noun

An ephemeral plant.

Usage examples:

Ephemerals avoid the periods of drought as seeds

adjective

Lasting for only a short time

Usage examples:

Ephemeral fame

adjective

In the style of an epigram; concise, clever, and amusing.

Usage examples:

An epigrammatic style

adjective

Relating to a short saying or poem that expresses an idea in a clever, funny way

Usage examples:

His poems are often epigrammatic and political., epigrammatic quotes from virgil that have entered …

adjective

Soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing.

Usage examples:

The evanescent arctic summer

adjective

Lasting for only a short time, then disappearing quickly and being forgotten

verb

Gradually grow faint and disappear.

Usage examples:

The light had faded and dusk was advancing

noun

The process of becoming less bright.

Usage examples:

The sun can cause colour fade

noun

A shot causing the ball to deviate to the right (or, for a left-handed golfer, the left)

Usage examples:

When they get to the 18th the ideal shot is a fade

adjective

Containing a large amount of fat.

Usage examples:

Fatty foods

noun

A fat person (often used as a nickname or form of address).

Usage examples:

Get moving, fatty!

adjective

Lasting for a very short time.

Usage examples:

For a fleeting moment i saw the face of a boy

verb

Move or pass quickly.

Usage examples:

A variety of expressions fleeted across his face

Lasting for a markedly brief time

adjective

Moving or able to move through the air with wings.

Usage examples:

A flying ant

noun

Flight, especially in an aircraft.

Usage examples:

She hates flying

verb

(of a bird, bat, or insect) move through the air using wings.

Usage examples:

Close the door or the moths will fly in

adjective

Easily crumbled.

Usage examples:

The soil was friable between her fingers

adjective

Easily broken into small pieces

adjective

Tending to disappear; fleeting.

Usage examples:

She was acutely conscious of her fugacious youth

adjective

Quick to disappear; not lasting very long

Usage examples:

Love's fugacious radiance

noun

A person who has escaped from captivity or is in hiding.

Usage examples:

Fugitives from justice

adjective

Quick to disappear; fleeting.

Usage examples:

The fugitive effects of light

adjective

Lacking grace, elegance, or charm.

Usage examples:

He wanted to speak so as not to seem sullen or graceless

adjective

Not attractive in appearance

Usage examples:

He described the house as ugly and graceless., her outwardly graceless appearance camouflages her i…

adjective

(of a voice) rough and low in pitch.

Usage examples:

She spoke with a gruff, masculine voice

adjective

Rude and unpleasant

adjective

Not permanent.

Usage examples:

Life has value precisely because it is transient and impermanent

adjective

Not lasting for ever or not lasting for a long time

Usage examples:

Acrylic paint is quick-drying but impermanent.

adjective

Not having or showing good manners; rude.

Usage examples:

It would have been impolite to refuse

adjective

Rude; not polite

adjective

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.

Usage examples:

His laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic

adjective

Using very few words to express what you mean

Usage examples:

“i might,” was the laconic reply.

noun

The occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright flash and typically also thunder.

Usage examples:

A tremendous flash of lightning

adjective

Very quick.

Usage examples:

A lightning cure for his hangover

noun

A flash of bright light in the sky produced by electricity moving within or between clouds, or between clouds and the ground

Usage examples:

That tree was struck by lightning in a recent thunderstorm., she moves at lightning speed.

adjective

Small in size, amount, or degree (often used to convey an appealing diminutiveness or express an affectionate or condescending attitude).

Usage examples:

The plants will grow into little bushes

adverb

To a small extent.

Usage examples:

He reminded me a little of my parents

determiner & pronoun

A small amount of.

Usage examples:

We got a little help from a training scheme

adjective

Of less than average height from top to bottom or to the top from the ground.

Usage examples:

The school is a long, low building

noun

A low point, level, or figure.

Usage examples:

His popularity ratings are at an all-time low

adverb

In or into a low position or state.

Usage examples:

She pressed on, bent low to protect her face

adjective

Relating to meteors or meteorites.

Usage examples:

Meteoric iron

adjective

Of or like a meteor

Usage examples:

Meteoric rock, a meteoric rise to fame

adjective

Developing very fast and attracting a lot of attention

Usage examples:

Speculation on the currency has helped its meteoric rise of 16% against the us dollar in a year., h…

adjective

Very small of its kind.

Usage examples:

Children dressed as miniature adults

noun

A thing that is much smaller than normal, especially a small replica or model.

Usage examples:

Seven full-size car bodies and three miniatures were used

verb

Represent on a smaller scale.

Usage examples:

She saw her own reflection miniatured

adjective

Extremely small; tiny.

Usage examples:

A minuscule fragment of dna

noun

Minuscule script.

Usage examples:

The humanistic hands of the 15th century were based on the carolingian minuscule

adjective

Extremely small

Usage examples:

Salaries are a minuscule part of the budget.

adjective

Lasting for a very short time; brief.

Usage examples:

A momentary lapse of concentration

adjective

Lasting for a very short time

Usage examples:

A momentary hesitation

adjective

Ungraciously or offensively nonchalant or cool in manner.

Usage examples:

You were a bit offhand with her this afternoon

adverb

Without previous thought or consideration.

Usage examples:

I can't think of a better answer offhand

adverb

Now, without looking for information or without taking the time to consider carefully

Usage examples:

I can’t tell you the exact number offhand, but it was something like $25,000., offhand remarks, his…

adjective

Going past.

Usage examples:

Passing cars

noun

The passage of something, especially time.

Usage examples:

With the passing of the years she had become a little eccentric

verb

Move or cause to move in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

He passed through towns and villages

adjective

(of a fruit or plant) containing much pith.

Usage examples:

When the trees bloom in march or april, the walkers try to remove any remaining old, pithy fruit.

adjective

(of speech or writing) brief and full of meaning

Usage examples:

Pithy comments, a pithy quote

adjective

Having a sharpened or tapered tip or end.

Usage examples:

His face tapers to a pointed chin

verb

Direct someone's attention towards something by extending one's finger or something held in one's hand.

Usage examples:

The lads were nudging each other and pointing at me

adjective

Intending criticism

Usage examples:

He made a pointed remark about her unwillingness to volunteer.

adjective

Moving fast or doing something in a short time.

Usage examples:

In the qualifying session he was two seconds quicker than his teammate

adverb

At a fast rate; quickly.

Usage examples:

He'll find some place where he can make money quicker

noun

The soft tender flesh below the growing part of a fingernail or toenail.

Usage examples:

You'll enjoy the movie if your idea of a good time is sitting glued to the edge of your seat chewin…

adjective

Offensively impolite or bad-mannered.

Usage examples:

She had been rude to her boss

adjective

Behaving in a way that hurts other people’s feelings; not polite

Usage examples:

I apologized for ted’s rude behavior., i thought it was rude of him not to introduce me., i’ve live…

adjective

(of an object) having an edge or point that is able to cut or pierce something.

Usage examples:

Cut the cake with a very sharp knife

adverb

Precisely (used after an expression of time).

Usage examples:

The meeting starts at 7.30 sharp

noun

A musical note raised a semitone above natural pitch.

Usage examples:

Choices in successive levels expand to all notes, then sharps and flats.

adjective

Lasting only for a brief time

Usage examples:

He got angry easily, but his anger was always short-lived.

adjective

Happening, existing, or continuing for only a little time

Usage examples:

Short-term interest rates are going down.

noun

→  short run

Usage examples:

These risks are short-term and manageable., stability involves balancing short-term and long-term o…

noun

A type of soft pastry that breaks easily

adjective

Of a size that is less than normal or usual.

Usage examples:

The room was small and quiet

adverb

Into small pieces.

Usage examples:

Cut the okra up small

plural noun

Small items of clothing, especially underwear.

Usage examples:

Do we know if secreted about his smalls he has a pair of boxer shorts in either the ancient or red …

adjective

Irritable and inclined to speak sharply; snappish.

Usage examples:

Anything unusual made her snappy and nervous

verb

Crouch or sit with one's knees bent and one's heels close to or touching one's buttocks or the back of one's thighs.

Usage examples:

I squatted down in front of him

adjective

Short and thickset; disproportionately broad or wide.

Usage examples:

He was muscular and squat

noun

A squatting position.

Usage examples:

She fell back into a squat from the kneeling position he had raised her to.

adjective

Extending or moving uniformly in one direction only; without a curve or bend.

Usage examples:

A long, straight road

adverb

In a straight line; directly.

Usage examples:

He was gazing straight at her

noun

(especially of drama) serious as opposed to comic or musical.

Usage examples:

A straight play

adjective

Short and thick.

Usage examples:

Bob pointed with a stubby finger

noun

A squat bottle of beer typically holding 375 cl.

Usage examples:

Sunday's lazy morning was given a go-by as the guests gathered, many of them caressing the beer stu…

adjective

Short and thick

Usage examples:

He had rather unattractive, stubby fingers.

adjective

(especially of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed.

Usage examples:

Use short, succinct sentences

adjective

(of writing or speech) clear and short; expressing what needs to be said without unnecessary words

Usage examples:

Keep your letter succinct and to the point.

noun

A brief statement or account of the main points of something.

Usage examples:

A summary of chapter three

adjective

Not including needless details or formalities; brief.

Usage examples:

Summary financial statements

noun

A brief, clear statement giving the most important facts about something

Usage examples:

The assignment was to write a summary of the news., in summary, chen’s book is a good introduction …

adjective

Bad-tempered and unfriendly.

Usage examples:

The porter left with a surly expression

adjective

Not wanting to please you or to be friendly

Usage examples:

The clerks in this post office are sullen, surly, and inefficient.

adjective

Of or forming a general summary or synopsis.

Usage examples:

A synoptic outline of the contents

noun

The synoptic gospels.

Usage examples:

In the synoptics, the most characteristic form is the parable: a fresh, pithy, and often paradoxica…

adjective

Giving a short description of something

Usage examples:

A synoptic outline of the book's contents

noun

An open pastry case containing a sweet or savoury filling.

Usage examples:

An apple tart

verb

Dress or make oneself up in order to look attractive.

Usage examples:

I tarted myself up for the night

adjective

Sharp or acid in taste.

Usage examples:

A tart apple

adjective

Tiny.

Usage examples:

A teeny bit of criticism

adjective

Small or little

Usage examples:

A teeny baby, i can’t help thinking you’re a teeny bit jealous.

adjective

Small or little

Usage examples:

A teeny baby, i can’t help thinking you’re a teeny bit jealous.

adjective

Lasting for only a limited period of time; not permanent.

Usage examples:

A temporary job

noun

A person employed on a temporary basis, typically an office worker who finds employment through an agency.

Usage examples:

To gain flexibility, companies are bringing in temporaries or contracting out work

adjective

Sparing in the use of words; abrupt.

Usage examples:

A terse statement

adjective

Easily irritated; impatient and somewhat bad-tempered.

Usage examples:

His testy, disapproving father

adjective

Lacking patience and feeling upset

Usage examples:

My wife gets testy if we don’t have dessert.

noun

The nail of the thumb.

Usage examples:

The body might be the length approximately, or slightly more than the length of an adult thumbnail,…

noun

The nail on the thumb

Usage examples:

You can choose whether you would like to view your photos as thumbnails or in a slide show., thumbn…

adjective

Very small.

Usage examples:

A tiny hummingbird

noun

A very young child.

Usage examples:

Books that will make tinies and parents laugh out loud

adjective

Lasting only for a short time; impermanent.

Usage examples:

A transient cold spell

noun

A person who is staying or working in a place for a short time only.

Usage examples:

The law had been applied to hotels and motels to collect a tax from transients, vacationers, and tr…

adjective

Lasting for only a short time; temporary

Usage examples:

The weakness was transient, and soon i was feeling strong again., transient workers come to pick ap…

adjective

Not permanent.

Usage examples:

Transitory periods of medieval greatness

adjective

Not permanent; temporary

Usage examples:

The transitory nature of life

adjective

Only lasting for a short period of time

Usage examples:

A growing proportion of the population are in a transitory stage between paid employment and old ag…

adjective

Discourteous; impolite.

Usage examples:

He'd been short and uncivil with her

adjective

Not polite

Usage examples:

He was most uncivil to your father - called him an old fool.

adjective

Not polite or friendly.

Usage examples:

After anna's kindness i wouldn't want to seem ungracious

adjective

Little.

Usage examples:

When i was just a wee bairn

noun

Urine.

Usage examples:

There was wee all over the floor

verb

Urinate.

Usage examples:

Mummy comes in and takes her top and knickers off when she is drunk and wees on the carpet.