short

Having little height compared with other people or things.

• My brother is short.
• She is shorter than her sister.
• The short tree barely reached the window.

Opposites: tall

Common phrases: short person, short man, short and tall, short child

Measuring a small distance from one end to the other.

• He has short hair.
• This rope is too short.
• We took the shorter path through the park.

Similar words: low, narrow, slim, shallow

Opposites: long

Common phrases: short hair, short distance, short pencil

Lasting only a small amount of time.

• Let’s take a short break.
• The meeting was shorter than expected.
• Can you stay for a short visit?

Similar words: brief

Opposites: long

Common phrases: short break, short visit, short time, short meeting

Suddenly, or in a brief and unfriendly way.

• The car stopped short.
• She cut me short before I finished speaking.
• He pulled up short at the edge of the cliff.

How to use it: stop short (He stopped short when he saw the dog.); cut someone short (She cut him short before he could explain.)

Similar words: abruptly, suddenly, curtly

Common phrases: stop short, pull someone short, cut someone short

Without being ready for something unexpected.

• The sudden storm caught us short.
• I was caught short without enough cash.
• She was caught short miles from the nearest toilet.

How to use it: be caught short (We were caught short when the shop closed early.)

Similar words: unawares, off guard

Common phrases: catch someone short, be caught short

A video made to be watched upright, with a picture taller than it is wide.

• I watched a short on my phone.
• She uploads three shorts each week.
• His latest short shows how to make bread.

Similar words: vertical video

Common phrases: watch a short, upload a short, youtube short

An electrical fault where current takes the wrong path, often causing equipment to fail.

• A short damaged the radio.
• The electrician found a short in the cable.
• Could a short have caused the fire?

How to use it: a short in something (There is a short in the wiring.)

Similar words: short circuit

Common phrases: electrical short, short in something, cause a short

To connect parts of an electrical system so electricity takes an unintended path.

• Water shorted the circuit.
• The damaged cable could short the battery.
• The technician shorted the terminals to test the connection.

Similar words: short-circuit

Common phrases: short a circuit, short the terminals