Shorts Meaning
/ʃɔː(ɹ)ts/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounplural of short
nounA garment worn over the pelvic area ending above the knees, not covering the entire length of the leg, designed for warm weather or for sports.
Sentence Examples
And also the gym uniform is still gym shorts, isn't it? I wonder why.
In schools everywhere sports-wear is all spats and shorts.
Khaki shorts with cargo pockets do not make you an adventurer.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
On hot summer days, she prefers wearing ____ instead of long jeans.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Because the summer afternoon was so hot, I decided to wear comfortable ____ and a light cotton t-shirt.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In 1925, boxer shorts were unleashed on the world: loose-fitting underwear for men, featuring an elastic waistband inspired by the shorts worn by boxers. It was underwear for the inner pugilist."
— 2018 August 9, Alan Burdick, “Science has Resolved the Question of Boxers vs. Briefs”, in The New Yorker, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Nov 2020:
"And always, when the food arrives, send something back. It's considered very sophisticated. But make sure you use colorful language. Tell him, "Waiter, this veal tastes like the inside front panel of Ferdinand Magellan's shorts. And I'm referring to the first voyage.""
— 2015, George Carlin, 3 X Carlin: An Orgy of George Including Brain Droppings, Napalm and Silly Putty, and When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?:
"[…]the first remove above bran is shorts ; the next above that is sharps"
— 1847, James Orchard Halliwell, A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, volume II, →OCLC, page 822:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
On hot summer days, she prefers wearing ____ instead of long jeans.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Because the summer afternoon was so hot, I decided to wear comfortable ____ and a light cotton t-shirt.