shorthand

American  

[shawrt-hand] / ˈʃɔrtˌhænd /

noun

1. a method of rapid handwriting using simple strokes, abbreviations, or symbols that designate letters, words, or phrases (longhand ).

2. a simplified or makeshift manner or system of communication.

   We spoke in a kind of pidgin shorthand to overcome the language barrier.

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adjective

1. using or able to use shorthand.

2. written in shorthand.

3. of or relating to shorthand.

shorthand British  

/ ˈʃɔːtˌhænd /

noun

1. 1. a system of rapid handwriting employing simple strokes and other symbols to represent words or phrases

   2. ( as modifier )

      a shorthand typist

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Etymology

Origin of shorthand

First recorded in 1630–40; short + hand

Example Sentences

Among the young, "hegemony" has slipped into everyday speech, shorthand for India's long shadow over Bangladesh.

From BBC

To this day, a 1,000-point swing by the Dow is still shorthand for a big day in the market—at least among investing veterans.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Crawfie was ostracized as a result, and ‘doing a Crawfie’ became the shorthand term for any Palace employee who betrayed intimate family details for financial gain.”

From The Wall Street Journal

While Thorne notes that the title of the book has become a shorthand for the "evilness of boys," the story and its characters are far more complex, he says.

From BBC

Colin pointed out that she has her own coded form of shorthand.

From Literature

Related Words

• calligraphy
• handwriting
• print
• script