short

Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling for "short"

IPA: /ʃɔːt/

Breakdown of Sounds:

• ʃ: /sh/ sound, as in "ship"

• ɔː: /aw/ sound, as in "caught"

• t: /t/ sound, as in "top"

Word Form Variations

Adjective Forms

• Short (base form)

• Shorter (comparative form)

• Shortest (superlative form)

Verb Forms

• Shorten (to make something shorter)

Noun Forms

• Short (can be used as a noun in specific contexts, such as "a short person")

Note: While "shorts" is a common word, it's actually a plural noun referring to a type of clothing, not a direct variation of the adjective "short."

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Adjective

• Books: "The story was short and sweet, leaving readers wanting more."

• Newspapers: "The company announced a short-lived promotion for new customers." 

• Online publications: "She has short, curly hair that frames her face beautifully." 

• Entertainment: "The film's runtime was surprisingly short, clocking in at just under an hour." 

• Public discourse: "I'm sorry, I only have a short amount of time to speak." 

Verb

• Books: "The editor shortened the article to fit the page limit." 

• Newspapers: "The company plans to shorten its supply chain to reduce costs." 

• Online publications: "You can shorten your resume by removing irrelevant details." 

• Entertainment: "The director decided to shorten the final scene for a more dramatic impact." 

• Public discourse: "We need to shorten the approval process for new businesses." 

Noun (informal)

• Online publications: "He's a short guy with a big personality." 

• Entertainment: "The movie features a short, quirky character who steals the show."

• Public discourse: "I saw a short person wearing a tall hat at the concert." 

Note: While "short" is primarily used as an adjective and verb, its use as a noun is less formal and often found in informal contexts like online publications, entertainment, and casual conversation.

Examples of Use

Adjective

• Books: "The story was short and sweet, leaving readers wanting more."

• Newspapers: "The company announced a short-lived promotion for new customers." 

• Online publications: "She has short, curly hair that frames her face beautifully." 

• Entertainment: "The film's runtime was surprisingly short, clocking in at just under an hour." 

• Public discourse: "I'm sorry, I only have a short amount of time to speak." 

Verb

• Books: "The editor shortened the article to fit the page limit." 

• Newspapers: "The company plans to shorten its supply chain to reduce costs." 

• Online publications: "You can shorten your resume by removing irrelevant details." 

• Entertainment: "The director decided to shorten the final scene for a more dramatic impact." 

• Public discourse: "We need to shorten the approval process for new businesses." 

Noun (informal)

• Online publications: "He's a short guy with a big personality." 

• Entertainment: "The movie features a short, quirky character who steals the show."

• Public discourse: "I saw a short person wearing a tall hat at the concert." 

Note: While "short" is primarily used as an adjective and verb, its use as a noun is less formal and often found in informal contexts like online publications, entertainment, and casual conversation.

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Short

1. "Life is short, and the world is wide." - Unknown (often attributed to various authors)

2. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching)

3. "Good things come to those who wait, but better things come to those who don't." - Unknown

4. "The only thing constant in life is change." - Heraclitus

5. "In the grand scheme of things, our lives are but a short flicker in time." - Original quote

6. "Short bursts of intense focus can yield remarkable results." - Original quote

7. "The shortest distance between two points is often a winding road." - Original quote

8. "It's not the length of life, but the depth of experience that matters." - Original quote

9. "Short tempers often lead to long regrets." - Original quote

10. "A short fuse can ignite a long-lasting fire." - Original quote

Etymology

The Story of the Word "Short"

Short is an old word that has been around for a very long time. It comes from a language family called Proto-Indo-European, which is like the great-grandparent of many languages we speak today, including English.

Over time, this word changed a bit as it traveled through different languages. It went from Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, then to Old English, and finally to the English we use now.

The first people to use "short" probably meant something like "cut short" or "not long." It was used to describe things that were small in size or didn't last very long. So, even way back then, the word "short" had pretty much the same meaning as it does today!

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Short

Common Phrases and Idioms

• Short and sweet: concise and pleasant

• Cut it short: end something abruptly

• In short: to summarize

• Short fuse: quick temper

• Short change: give someone less than they deserve

Less Common or Original Phrases

• Short on patience: having little patience

• Short on ideas: lacking creativity

• Short on luck: having bad luck

• Short on time: not having enough time

• Short on cash: not having enough money

Idioms with Similar Effect (using synonyms)

• Cut to the chase: get to the point (similar to "cut it short")

• In a nutshell: to summarize (similar to "in short")

• Lose one's temper: become angry (similar to "short fuse")

• Cheat someone: give someone less than they deserve (similar to "short change")

Note: While "short" is a versatile word, the number of specific idioms using it is relatively limited. Many phrases involving "short" are simple combinations of the word with other words to create meaning.

Posts Related to Short

Source Information

Definition of short from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.