short

Think of a tiny hummingbird next to a towering redwood tree. The hummingbird is short. This simple word shows up in many parts of daily life. It can describe less height (a short person, a short wall) or less physical length (a short rope). It is also often used for time, meaning brief, as in a short break or a short visit.

Sometimes, "short" describes the way a person acts. If someone sounds impatient or rude, they may be "short" with you, and a person with a short temper gets angry quickly. You might also take a shortcut to save time or say you are short on cash when you do not have enough. In all these cases, the word carries the idea of less than usual, less than needed, or less than expected.

The word "short" basically describes something that has less length, height, time, or amount than usual or than expected. A short pencil is not very long, a short child is not very tall, and a short movie does not last very long. This basic idea then spreads into many other parts of English.

It can describe manner and emotion too. A person with a short fuse gets angry quickly, and someone who is "short" with you in conversation is speaking in a rude, cold, or impatient way. It is also common when talking about supply or money. If you are "short" a few dollars, you do not have enough. If you are "running short" on milk, time, or energy, the amount is getting low.

The word also appears in many common expressions. To "cut someone short" means to interrupt them. To "cut a trip short" means to end it earlier than planned. A "short story" is a piece of fiction that is much smaller than a novel. In finance, "go short" means to bet that a price will go down. Across all of these uses, "short" keeps the same core sense: something is smaller, briefer, lower, or less than what is normal, full, or wanted.