Shores, subs. (Stock Exchange).—Lake Shore Ry. shares.
Short, subs. (gaming).—1. A card
(all below the eight) prepared so
that nothing above the eight can
be cut: by which the chances of
an honour turning up are reduced
to two to one: cf. Long and
Brief.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (1862), 253. Ye youths, oh, beware, Of liquor, and how you run after the fair! Shun playing at shorts.
2. (common).—In pl. = knee breeches; small clothes.
1837. Dickens, Pickwick, xxxiii. A little emphatic man with a bald head and drab shorts.
1888. Besant, Fifty Years Ago, 49. The little old gentleman . . . follows him in black shorts and white silk stockings.
3. (Stock Exchange).—A bear (q.v.); one who has 'sold short,' and whose interest is to depress the market. As adj. or adv. = (1) not in hand when contracting to deliver; or (2) unable to meet one's engagements: e.g., 'Short of Eries, Brighton A's,' &c.
1888. D. Telegraph, 13 Oct. The market continued to improve . . . coupled with shorts covering freely.
1902. D. Mail, 17 Nov., 2, 5. Wheat opened steady . . . shorts covering, and light acceptances.
4. (school).—In pl. = flannel trousers; cuts (q.v.).
Adj. (common).—1. Unadulterated; neat (q.v.). As subs. = 'a dram [spec. of gin] unlengthened by water' (Grose).
1837. Dickens, Pickwick Papers (1857), 388. If you'll order waiter to deliver him anything short, he won't drink it off at once, won't he!—only try him!
1841. Rede, Sixteen String Jack, I. 2. Nelly, toddle to the bar, and be continually drawing drops of short.
1851-61. Mayhew, London Lab. i. 54. Saveloys, with a pint of beer or a glass of short, is with them another common week-day dinner.
1858. M. Chronicle, 8 Nov. A young man offered her some coffee, but she said she would prefer something short.
1858. Trollope, Dr. Thorne, xvii. Come, Jack, let us have a drop of some'at short.
1883. D. Telegraph, 2 July, v. 3. All these are short drinks—that is to say, drams.
1902. Headon Hill, Caged, xvii. She wanted him to have a drop of something short, which he refused.
3. (commercial).—'A term used by cashiers of banks, in asking how a cheque is to be paid, 'How will you take it?' i.e., in gold or notes? If in notes, 'Long or short?' i.e., in notes for small or large amounts (Hotten).
4. (old).—Hard up; 'short of cash.'
1603. Dekker, Batchelars Banquet, iv. They . . . if their father keepe them short, will find some other friends that shall affoord it them.
1605. Chapman, &c. Eastward Ho, v. And I not able to relieve her, neither, being kept so short by my husband.
1608. Day, Law Trickes, ii. And if your pursse grow short, Rather then spend the publique treasurie, Ile lend your grace a brace of thousand pounds.
1700. Farquhar, Constant Couple, ii. v. I am very short . . . at present.
1857. Bradley, Verdant Green, II. v. I wrote to her and said, ' I'm very short; please to send me two ponies;' meaning, of course, that I wanted fifty pound.
Phrases and Colloquialisms.—To come short home = to be imprisoned; to bite off short (tailors') = to dismiss abruptly, or refuse curtly; to cut it short = to be as brief as may be; short and sweet = a jesting regret, or sarcastic comment: frequently with the addi-
