# shorts

/ˈʃɔɹts/ (US) · /ʃˈɔːts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shorts
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. clothing

noun · CEFR A1

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

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

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

### 2. electrical fault

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

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

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

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

Teaching tip: This is a very specific technical use; students should generally use the full term 'short circuit' in formal writing.

### 3. causing a fault

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to cause an electrical problem by mistake.

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

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

## Examples

- I wear shorts and a t-shirt when it is hot outside.
- The school allows students to wear navy blue shorts during the summer term instead of long trousers.
- While traditionally viewed as casual attire, tailored shorts have increasingly appeared in professional settings when paired with structured blazers and appropriate footwear.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.