short

adjective

1. : treated or disposed of quickly in court the calendar for short causes

2. : having a short term short loans short leases

3. a : not having goods or property that one has sold in anticipation of a fall in prices a seller who was short at the time of the sale

   b : consisting of or relating to a sale of securities or commodities that the seller does not possess or has not contracted for at the time of the sale a short position — see also short sale 1 at sale

4. : not involving or providing a sufficient amount of money to cover a loan — see also short sale 2 at sale, short refinance

adverb

1. : by or as if by a short sale sold the stock short