Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHORT, a. [Sax. sceort, scyrt; G. kurz; D. Sw. and Dan. kort; Fr. court; It. corto; L. curtus; Ir. gear; Russ. kortayu, to shorten. It is from cutting off or separating. Qu. Dan. skiör, Sw. skör, brittle.]

1. Not long; not having great length or extension; as, a short distance; a short ferry; a short flight; a short piece of timber. The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it. – Is. xxviii.
2. Not extended in time; not of long duration. The triumphing of the wicked is short. – Job xx. 1 Thess. ii.
3. Not of usual or sufficient length, reach or extent. Weak though I am of limb, and short of sight. – Pope.
4. Not of long duration; repeated at small intervals of time; as, short breath. – Dryden. Sidney.
5. Not of adequate extent or quantity; not reaching the point demanded, desired or expected; as, a quantity short of our expectations. Not therefore am I short / Of knowing what I ought. – Milton.
6. Deficient; defective; imperfect. This account is short of the truth.
7. Not adequate; insufficient; scanty; as, provisions are short; a short allowance of water for the voyage.
8. Not sufficiently supplied; scantily furnished. The English were inferior in number, and grew short in their provisions. – Hayward.
9. Not far distant in time; future. He commanded those who were appointed to attend him, to be ready by a short day. – Clarendon. We now say, at short notice. In mercantile languages, a note or bill is made payable at short sight, that is, in a little time after being presented to the payer.
10. Not fetching a compass; as, in the phrase, to turn short.
11. Not going to the point intended; as, to stop short.
12. Defective in quantity; as, sheep short of their wool. – Dryden.
13. Narrow; limited; not extended; not large or comprehensive. Their own short understandings reach / No further than the present. – Rowe.
14. Brittle; friable; breaking all at once without splinters or shatters; as, marl so short that it can not be wrought into a ball. – Mortimer.
15. Not bending. The lance broke short. – Dryden.
16. Abrupt; brief; pointed; petulant; severe. I asked him a question, to which he gave a short answer. To be short, to be scantily supplied; as, to be short of bread or water. To come short, to fail; not to do what is demanded or expected, or what is necessary for the purpose; applied to persons. We all come short of perfect obedience to God's will. #2. Not to reach or obtain. – Rom. iii. #3. To fail; to be insufficient. Provisions come short. To cut short, to abridge; to contract; to make too small or defective; also, to destroy or consume. – 2 Kings x. To fall short, to fail; to be inadequate or scanty; as, provisions fall short; money falls short. #2. To fail; not to do or accomplish; as, to fall short in duty. #3. To be less. The measure falls short of the estimate. To stop short, to stop at once; also, to stop without reaching the point intended. To turn short, to turn on the spot occupied; to turn without making a compass. For turning short he struck with all his might. – Dryden. To be taken short, to be seized with urgent necessity. – Swift. In short, in few words; briefly; to sum up or close in a few words.