What does "shorts" mean?

1. (clothing) trousers that end above the knees, usually worn in hot weather or for sports. 2. (electrical fault) short circuits, which are electrical problems that stop a machine from working. 3. (causing a fault) to cause an electrical problem by mistake.

How do you use "shorts"?

Always used in the plural form; takes a plural verb. Often used by electricians or engineers in plural form. The third-person singular form is 'shorts'.

Is it correct to say "I need to buy a new short for the beach."?

No — say "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.

shorts

n. · v.

US //ˈʃɔɹts// UK //ʃˈɔːts// shorts

1 clothing (n.)
A1 Beginner

trousers that end above the knees, usually worn in hot weather or for sports.

a bifurcated garment covering the pelvic area and upper legs but ending above the knee. Usually plural in form.

Example

He wore a t-shirt and blue shorts because it was a very hot day.

Example

The hikers opted for lightweight cargo shorts to ensure maximum ventilation during the steep ascent in the midday heat.

Usage

Always used in the plural form; takes a plural verb.
- trunks
- trousers
- pants
Pitfall

I 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.
2 electrical fault (n.)
C1 Advanced Informal Technical Technical

short circuits, which are electrical problems that stop a machine from working.

informal clipped form of 'short circuits'; instances of accidental low-resistance connections between nodes in an electrical circuit.

Example

The old wiring in the house was causing frequent shorts in the kitchen.

Example

The technician suspected that moisture ingress was responsible for the intermittent shorts occurring within the control panel.

Usage

Often used by electricians or engineers in plural form.

Teacher's tip

This is a very specific technical use; students should generally use the full term 'short circuit' in formal writing.
- short circuits
- faults

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3 causing a fault (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Technical

to cause an electrical problem by mistake.

to cause a short circuit in an electrical device or system. Transitive or intransitive use.

Example

If water gets into the computer, it often shorts the whole system.

Example

The system automatically shuts down whenever the power supply shorts to prevent permanent damage to the motherboard.

Usage

The third-person singular form is 'shorts'.
- short circuit

Origin

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.

Idioms2 entries