short end of the stick
A situation, opportunity, or outcome which is less favorable than situations, opportunities, or outcomes experienced by or available to others.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I always get the short end of the stick in this office.”
“Because I arrived late to the meeting, I got the short end of the stick and had to take all the notes.”
“Despite his years of loyal service, he felt he had received the short end of the stick when the company offered the promotion to a new hire.”
disputed origin
The expression has been attested since the 1500s, though its precise origins remain a matter of conjecture. One theory suggests it may be a minced oath derived from the phrase *shit end of the stick*, a possibility bolstered by an 1840s citation using the term *crappy*. This derivation is, however, considered unlikely.
The idiom is possibly a variation on the older phrase *wrong end of the stick*. While that version suggests a literal origin, the specific physical circumstances of the stick in question have not been recorded. Whether the metaphor relates to a struggle for control or a misplaced grip, the exact literal meaning remains unclear.
- 01
a day late and a dollar short
Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.
- 02
a short drop and a sudden stop
A fall to one's death by hanging.
- 03
all ends up
Completely; totally.
- 04
arse end of nowhere
A very remote place.
- 05
beat off with a stick
To reject (a person making an unwanted amorous approach).
- 06
beat with the ugly stick
Used to describe someone who is particularly ugly or unattractive.
- 07
big end of town
The top end of town.
- 08
bitter end
The end of a long and difficult process.
Last updated August 10, 2026