Middle English Dictionary Entry

short adj.
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Entry Info

Forms short adj. Also shorte, shorthe, sort(e, shert(e, shurte, (SW & K) ssort(e, (chiefly N & early) scort(e, scorth & (early) sheort(e, sceort(e, (infl.) scortne, scortan & (in names) scord-, scor-, chort-, sotes- & (?error) schart, (error) schor; comp. shorter(e, sherter, (early) sceortre, scirtre; sup. shortest(e, (errors) shortes, shortestez.
Etymology OE scort, sceort, (pl.dat.) scertrum; comp. sceortra, scyrtra; sup. scyrtest. For chiefly N forms in sc- cp. OI skort; for form schart ?cp. MnE dial. (Brks.) shart, var. of short.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Of little length; smiten forth limes ~, to cut the legs off short; shivered ~, broken off short; (b) ~ iswired; ~ nosed; ~ pastroned; ~ ribbe, an asternal rib; ~ shapen, of a head: brachycranic; ~ shuldered, thick-set; henri ~ mantel, Henry II; robert ~ hose, robin ~ bote, Robert Curthose; (c) of little height, of low stature; not tall; of animals: small, low, little; of a window: low; robert ~ bodi, Robert Curthose; (d) of a weapon: short-bladed; ~ (arming) sword; (e) of limited range; also, ?crooked, squinting [last quot.]; (f) small in size; ~ gere, portable property.
Show 66 Quotations
2a.
(a) Of a period of time, a lifetime: brief; also, seeming brief [quot.: c1440]; daies ben ~, there is little time left; (b) in phrases: bi (with) ~ time, in (within) ~ dai (space, time, while), within a short time, soon; in (bi) ~ avisement [see avisement n.3.(b)]; of (with) ~ avisement, after brief deliberation; of) ~ time, after a short time; (c) ~ time (while), bi ~ proces of time, for ~ while, in (of) ~ time, etc., for a short time; ~ time avisement, a short period of consideration; (d) close in time, coming soon, near at hand.
Show 60 Quotations
2b.
(a) Of brief duration, occupying little time; ~ sleper, one who sleeps little; ~ witted, unable long to persevere; (b) of a statement, speech, etc.: concise, brief, pithy; ~ sentence, a summary; (c) in phrases: ~ proces (for) to maken, ~ tale to tellen, for) to maken ~ tale, to cut a long story short, be brief; at ~ proces, at (with) ~ wordes, bi (for, with) ~ conclusioun, in ~ manere (proces, sentence, thing, wise), in ~ word(es, in feue wordes and ~, in few words; in short, briefly; (d) of vowel or syllable quantity: short.
Show 66 Quotations
3.
(a) Quickly gone, short-lived, ephemeral, transitory; (b) quickly effected; quick, prompt, ready; (c) hasty; rash, ill-considered; (d) ~ langage (spekinge), rapid speech, clipped speech; ?slurred speech; (e) of breath: occurring in quick gasps, difficult, short; ~ of breth, ~ brethed (winded), short of breath.
Show 30 Quotations
4.
(a) Little in quantity, few in number; deficient, scant; inconsiderable; (b) unkind, discourteous, hostile; of speech: cold, curt; ~ cominge, ?a hostile gathering; (c) crumbly, friable.
Show 17 Quotations
5.
In proverbs and sayings; climben to god on a ~ tre, to be hanged.
Show 17 Quotations
6.
(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PN Elem.2.107.
Show 32 Quotations

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1440 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Cmb Ii.3.26)A.2847 : Shortefare [Heng: This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo, and we been pilgrymes].
    • Note: New combination--per MM.
    Note: ~ fare, a short road or passageway--used in fig. context of the world. [cp. MED thurgh-fāre (n.)]. See sense (b): a road, passageway;--used in fig. context of the world. (The Hengwrt quot. is used.)

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1400 Albi Reynolds 5081 Recipes (Albi Reynolds 5081)288/3 : Tak and mak gleyre of an egge, but loke þu take more of þe ȝelke in duble þan of þe whyte, and make it al so schort as þu may.
  • a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39)66/2 : Stire hit wel and þat stiryng wole make þy confectioun harde and schort, for ells hit wolde be clammy also ropyng and to fat.
  • a1500 Cmb.Ee.1.13 Dye Recipes (Cmb Ee.1.13)108/26 : To make a rose colour of brasil: Take þe whit of a ey and wring it throw a clowt of wolon til it be as scort as oni water.
  • a1500 Glue Recipe (Hrl 665)300/13 : Forto make glew forto glew togedyr parchement, velym, or seche oder: Take the gleyre of an egge, make hyt schort with a sponge or sum oder wyse as þu woldyst make redd ynke.
    • Note: New sense, perhaps to be included under sense 4.(c): 'of liquids: free-flowing, fluid as opposed to viscous'. Cp. OED short adj. sense 22.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • c1400 Wycl.CGosp.John (Yk-M 14.D.2:Hudson)81/292 : Wo, wo, wo, þis feiþtrauelid bi so greet bisynesse is constreyned into streiȝtnesse of a schort corner.
Note: ?New sense. Phrase apparently means a 'tight corner' , close quarters or cul-de-sac. Latin source, Sermon 14 by Robert Grossetest, not accessible to MED.

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