DEFINITIONS

caught short

Found to be lacking something one needs, especially money, as in Can you pay the check? I seem to be caught short. This idiom uses short in the sense of “lacking money,” a usage dating from the early 1500s.

Content related to caught short

What Is “GOP” Short For?The Republican party has a lot of history. Its origins are interesting in their own right, but one particular part of the party's history is its nickname: the GOP. Where did this nickname come from and what in the world does it mean?
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What Are Mr. And Mrs. Short For?When it comes to Mr and Mrs the difference is pretty clear, but what about Miss Mrs Ms? Quick answer: Ask her what she prefers — Miss Mrs or Ms?
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Words related to caught short

annoy, disturb, perplex, bewilder, perturb, faze, confuse, puzzle, upset, distract, shame, rattle, irk, plague, agitate, mortify, fluster, stun, bother, disconcert

Words nearby caught short

caudle cup, caught, caught dead, wouldn't be, caught flat-footed, caught in the middle, caught short, caught with one's pants down, be, caul, cauld, cauldrife, cauldron
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.