Idioms for short

Origin of short

before 900; Middle English schort (adj.), Old English sceort; cognate with Old High German scurz short, Old Norse skortr shortness, scarcity

SYNONYMS FOR short

4 Short, brief are opposed to long, and indicate slight extent or duration. Short may imply duration but is also applied to physical distance and certain purely spatial relations: a short journey. Brief refers especially to duration of time: brief intervals.
5 terse, succinct, laconic, condensed.
6 curt, sharp, testy.
7 poor, deficient, inadequate, wanting, lacking.
12 crumbly.
14 brachycephalic.

OTHER WORDS FROM short

short·ness, noun o·ver·short, adjective o·ver·short·ness, noun un·short, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for sell short

See also shorts

Derived forms of short

shortness, noun

Word Origin for short

Old English scort; related to Old Norse skortr a lack, skera to cut, Old High German scurz short

Idioms and Phrases with sell short (1 of 2)

sell short

1

Contract for the sale of securities or commodities one expects to own at a later date and at a lower price, as in Selling short runs the risk of a market rise, forcing one to pay more than one expected. [Mid-1800s]

2

sell someone short. Underestimate the true value or worth of someone, as in Don't sell her short; she's a very able lawyer. [First half of 1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with sell short (2 of 2)

short