shorts
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.trousers that end above the knees, usually worn in hot weather or for sports.
n.a bifurcated garment covering the pelvic area and upper legs but ending above the knee. Usually plural in form.
Simple“He wore a t-shirt and blue shorts because it was a very hot day.”
In context“The hikers opted for lightweight cargo shorts to ensure maximum ventilation during the steep ascent in the midday heat.”
UsageAlways used in the plural form; takes a plural verb.
PitfallI need to buy a new short for the beach. I need to buy a new pair of shorts for the beach.Like 'trousers' or 'glasses', 'shorts' is always plural. Use 'a pair of' to count them.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.short circuits, which are electrical problems that stop a machine from working.
n.informal clipped form of 'short circuits'; instances of accidental low-resistance connections between nodes in an electrical circuit.
Simple“The old wiring in the house was causing frequent shorts in the kitchen.”
In context“The technician suspected that moisture ingress was responsible for the intermittent shorts occurring within the control panel.”
UsageOften used by electricians or engineers in plural form.
Teacher's tipThis is a very specific technical use; students should generally use the full term 'short circuit' in formal writing.
Synonymsshort circuitsfaults - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to cause an electrical problem by mistake.
v.to cause a short circuit in an electrical device or system. Transitive or intransitive use.
Simple“If water gets into the computer, it often shorts the whole system.”
In context“The system automatically shuts down whenever the power supply shorts to prevent permanent damage to the motherboard.”
UsageThe third-person singular form is 'shorts'.
Synonymsshort circuit
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.? Proto-Germanic *skertaną Proto-Germanic *skurtaz Proto-West Germanic *skurt Old English sċort Middle English schort English short Old English -as Middle English -es English -s English shorts From short + -s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.