A short cut
- a quicker or easier way of going somewhere or doing something
There are no short cuts to success in becoming a good doctor, just a lot of hard work and experience.
At short notice
- with little warning, shortly before something has to be done etc
You can’t expect me to translate twenty pages of a difficult contract at such short notice.
Be short with someone
- be abrupt, unfriendly
Have I done something wrong? Mrs. Brown was very short with me.
Be / run short of something
- not have enough of something, e.g. time, money, food, writing-paper
We’re running rather short of time, so we will discuss the last two points next week.
Be taken short
- have to make a hurried visit to a toilet
It must be verz embarrassing to be taken short in the middle of a speech?
Cut something short
- bring something to an end before the expected time
We got an emergency call, so we had to cut the meeting short.
Fall short of one’s hopes/expectations
- be inadequate, disappointing, not as much/as good as one had hoped or expected
The interview went very well, but the salary they offered me fell short of my expectations.
For short
- as an abbreviation
His name’s Conrad Jackson, but everybody calls him 'Kojak' for short.
Have a short temper
- become angry easily, frequently or quickly
His father had a short temper, so he was seldom really naughty as a child.
In short
- briefly, in a few words, in summary
The weather was good, the hotel was first-rate, and we had lots of fun. In short, the holiday was most enjoyable.
In short supply
- scarce, not enough available
Good workers seem to be in short supply in this department. Almost everyone’s taking a coffee break again.
Little/nothing short of
- little/nothing less than .
What you are suggesting we can do is little short of blackmail.
Make short work of something
- deal with something quickly
"Are there many letters to answer?" "Only three, so we’ll make short work of them.
Short and to the point
- (a speech, order, letter etc.) short, direct and clear, possibly abrupt
Don’t make the speech too long. Keep it short and to the point.
Short of something / doing something
- except, apart from
They say he’s capable of anything short of murder.