shortness
gb/ʃˈɔɹtnəs/ us/ʃˈɔɹtnəs/
B1
English
rövidség, alacsonyság, tömörség, szűkszavúság, kurtaság, nyerseség, hiány, szűkösség, omlósság
NOUN
B1
1
rövidség
B2
alacsonyság
B2
Usage pattern:
the shortness of [something]
The shortness of the flight surprised us—we landed in under an hour.
Meglepett minket a repülőút rövidsége – kevesebb mint egy óra alatt leszálltunk.
I chose the jacket for its shortness; it ends right at the waist.
A dzsekit a rövidsége miatt választottam; pont derékig ér.
In winter, the shortness of the days can feel depressing.
Learner examples
I like the shortness of this skirt.
Tetszik, hogy ez a szoknya ilyen rövid.
The shortness of the trip was nice.
Jó volt, hogy rövid volt az út.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this when they mean shortage (not enough of something).
Meaning
the quality of being short
Collocations
the shortness of the trip
|the shortness of the skirt
|the shortness of the meeting
|the shortness of the days
|the shortness of the distance
|the shortness of the season
|the shortness of the haircut
|the shortness of the message
Synonyms
briefness (Mainly about time or duration.)
|
smallness (More general; can sound less specific than shortness.)
Antonyms
length (Opposite quality: being long.)
|
tallness (Opposite quality specifically for height.)
Themes
daily_life
|measurement
|time
Definition
When something is not long, tall, or lasting.
The state or quality of being short in length, height, or duration.
NOUN
B2
2
tömörség
B2
szűkszavúság
C1
Usage pattern:
the shortness of [someone]'s [reply/message/speech]
I appreciated the shortness of her email—it got straight to the point.
Nagyra értékeltem az e-mailje tömörségét: rögtön a lényegre tért.
The shortness of the announcement left everyone with questions.
A bejelentés szűkszavúsága miatt mindenkiben maradtak kérdések.
His shortness in the report made it easier to read.
Learner examples
I like the shortness of this message.
Tetszik ennek az üzenetnek a tömörsége.
Please keep some shortness in your writing.
Kérlek, ügyelj arra, hogy az írásod tömör maradjon.
Meaning
brief, concise way of speaking
Collocations
the shortness of his reply
|the shortness of her email
|the shortness of the statement
|the shortness of the report
|appreciate the shortness
|value the shortness
Synonyms
brevity (More common and slightly more formal.)
|
conciseness (Emphasizes being clear and efficient with words.)
Antonyms
verbosity (Using too many words.)
|
wordiness (Overly long or repetitive wording.)
Themes
communication
|writing
Definition
Using only a few words.
The quality of being brief and not using many words, especially in speech or writing.
NOUN
C1
3
Usage pattern:
the shortness of [someone]'s tone/manner
I was hurt by the shortness of his tone on the phone.
Bántott, milyen kurtán beszélt velem a telefonban.
Her shortness with the staff made the office tense.
Az alkalmazottakkal szembeni kurtasága feszültté tette az irodai légkört.
There was a shortness in his replies that suggested he was annoyed.
Learner examples
I didn't like the shortness of his answer.
Nem tetszett, hogy ilyen kurtán válaszolt.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with being short (not tall) because both use 'short'. Here it means abrupt or rude.
Meaning
rude or abrupt manner
Collocations
the shortness of his tone
|the shortness of her manner
|a sudden shortness
|answer with shortness
|notice the shortness
Synonyms
curtness (Direct synonym; often used for speech or replies.)
|
brusqueness (Stronger; suggests blunt, rough behavior.)
Antonyms
politeness (Shows respect and consideration.)
|
warmth (Friendly, kind tone.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|social
Definition
Speaking in a way that sounds rude or impatient.
An unfriendly or abrupt manner, especially in speech; curtness.
NOUN
B2
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
shortness of [something]
During the storm, the town faced a shortness of drinking water.
A vihar idején a város ivóvízhiánnyal küzdött.
The shortness of skilled workers slowed the project.
A szakemberhiány lelassította a projektet.
They blamed the price increases on a shortness of supply.
Learner examples
There was a shortness of food after the flood.
Az árvíz után élelmiszerhiány volt.
Common mistake:
Often confused with shortage; shortage is more common in everyday English for this meaning.
Meaning
not enough of something
Collocations
a shortness of food
|a shortness of water
|a shortness of cash
|a shortness of supplies
|a shortness of resources
|a shortness of labor
Synonyms
scarcity (Emphasizes that something is rare or hard to get.)
|
shortage (Most common word for not enough supply.)
Antonyms
abundance (More than enough supply.)
|
plenty (Enough or more than enough.)
Themes
daily_life
|economy
|business
Definition
When there is not enough of something.
A situation in which there is not enough of something; scarcity.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
5
omlósság
C1
Usage pattern:
the shortness of [pastry/biscuit/crust]
Butter gives the crust its shortness and delicate bite.
A vaj adja a tésztakéreg omlósságát és finom, könnyen harapható állagát.
The baker adjusted the fat content to increase the shortness of the pastry.
A pék módosította a zsiradék arányát, hogy növelje a tészta omlósságát.
Too much mixing can reduce the shortness and make the dough tough.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with shortening (the fat used in baking).
Meaning
crumbly texture in baking
Collocations
the shortness of the pastry
|improve the shortness
|a good shortness
|lack of shortness
|shortness in the crust
Synonyms
crumbly texture (Plain description, not a technical baking term.)
|
tenderness (Related quality; not always specifically crumbly.)
Antonyms
chewiness (Opposite texture: more elastic and chewy.)
|
toughness (Hard to bite; not tender/crumbly.)
Themes
food
|cooking
Definition
A soft, crumbly texture in pastry.
A tender, crumbly texture in pastry or baked goods, often produced by a high fat content.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shortness
IPA
GB/ʃˈɔɹtnəs/
US/ʃˈɔɹtnəs/
Syllables & stress
short - ness (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (short)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shortness
- Plural: shortness
Expressions
shortness of breath
1/ʃˈɔɹtnəs əv bɹˈɛθ/
fixed phrase
difficulty breathing normally
When it is hard to breathe.
Examples
- He went to urgent care because he had shortness of breath and chest pain.
- If you notice sudden shortness of breath, seek medical help.
- The climb caused mild shortness of breath, but it passed quickly.
Learner examples
- I have shortness of breath when I run fast.
shortness of money
1/ʃˈɔɹtnəs əv mˈʌni/
fixed phrase
formal
not having enough money
Not having enough money.
Examples
- The project was delayed by a shortness of money.
- Because of a shortness of money, they postponed the renovation.
- Many small businesses closed due to a shortness of cash flow.
shortness of temper
1/ʃˈɔɹtnəs əv tˈɛmpɚ/
fixed phrase
easily becoming angry
Getting angry very easily.
Examples
- His shortness of temper made teamwork difficult.
- Lack of sleep can cause shortness of temper.
- She apologized for her shortness of temper during the meeting.
shortness of time
1/ʃˈɔɹtnəs əv tˈaɪm/
fixed phrase
formal
having too little time
Not having enough time.
Examples
- Because of the shortness of time, we focused only on the main points.
- The shortness of time forced them to make a quick decision.
- Given the shortness of time available, the plan was surprisingly thorough.
Learner examples
- Because of the shortness of time, I wrote a short answer.