Shorts Meaning
Shorts Definition & Usage
Shorts are a type of clothing worn on the lower half of the body, typically ending above the knee, designed for warm weather or casual settings.
Examples
- "She wore shorts to the beach on the hot summer day."
- "The kids were all playing soccer in their shorts at the park."
- "He changed into shorts after his workout at the gym."
- "I prefer wearing shorts over pants when it's too hot outside."
- "You should pack a pair of shorts for the hiking trip; it’s going to be warm."
To shorten something, usually referring to a piece of clothing or material.
Examples
- "I need to shorts these pants because they’re too long."
- "He asked the tailor to shorts the sleeves of his jacket."
- "She decided to shorts the curtains to fit her new windows."
- "Can you shorts the presentation to fit into the 15-minute time slot?"
- "The editor will shorts the article to focus only on the main points."
Cultural Context
The term 'shorts' has been used for clothing since the 19th century, although its modern popularity rose in the 20th century as part of more casual, recreational wear. They have strong associations with summer activities, beach vacations, and sporting events. In many Western cultures, wearing shorts is seen as a symbol of relaxation or leisure. In the US and UK, the term is widely understood, although in some other countries, local variations exist.
The Shorts Debate
Story
The Shorts Debate
It was a sweltering July afternoon, and the office air conditioning seemed to be on strike. Sarah, tired of the heat, had made the executive decision to wear her favorite cargo shorts to work. She had debated it for days. Was it too casual? Would the boss think it unprofessional? Her coworkers were divided. Some believed it was a practical choice; after all, it was nearly 90°F outside. Others, like Tom, felt that shorts were for weekends, not the office. He had already commented once that 'business attire' meant no shorts, even though it was Friday. Across the room, Mark was busy in his corner, meticulously shorts-ing the lengthy quarterly report. He had to cut it down to fit the team’s meeting time. Sarah, overhearing, gave a small chuckle, 'I’m glad someone is shortening their workload today.' Mark glanced over, his face cracking a smile. 'I guess you could say I'm 'shorting' it.' Meanwhile, at lunch, Sarah and her team gathered outside on the patio, enjoying the sunny weather. There was no denying that the shorts made her feel more relaxed. She had even managed to dodge the usual office gossip by remaining casually comfortable, a contrast to her boss, who, dressed in a full suit, looked out of place in the heat. In the end, Sarah decided she’d wear the shorts again next week, confident that fashion flexibility could coexist with professionalism. After all, sometimes, it's not about being too formal—it's about comfort, especially when you're trying to survive the heat. But as she returned to her desk, she overheard Tom again: 'Well, maybe I should shorts my meetings to 30 minutes so I can get back to comfort too.' They all laughed, knowing that even the best summer fashion debates could have their funny moments.
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