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• short order
  short order

  noun

  a dish or serving of food that is quickly prepared upon request at a lunch counter.
• short-order
  short-order

  adjective

  of, relating to, or specializing in short orders.

short order

¹ American  

noun

1. a dish or serving of food that is quickly prepared upon request at a lunch counter.

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short-order ² American  

[shawrt-awr-der] / ˈʃɔrtˌɔr dər /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or specializing in short orders.

   a short-order cook; short-order diner.

2. performed or supplied quickly.

   They obtained a short-order divorce decree.

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short order British  

noun

1. 1. food that is easily and quickly prepared

   2. ( as modifier )

      short-order counter

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short order Idioms  

1. Quickly; see in short order .

2. An order of food to be prepared and served quickly, as in It's just a diner, serving short orders exclusively . This expression, dating from about 1890, gave rise to the adjective short-order , used not only in short-order cook , a cook specializing in short orders, but in other terms such as short-order divorce , a divorce quickly obtained owing to liberal divorce laws.

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Etymology

Origin of short order¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Origin of short-order²

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The analysts said they expect independent power producers will see longer-term power purchase agreements executed “in relatively short order to support this AI wave.”

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

“I expect a comprehensive report in short order and am confident the outcome will assist in resolving, once and for all, the questions that led this office to issue subpoenas,” Pirro said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

More often than not historically, above-average real rates have been followed in fairly short order by lower nominal rates.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

"And I think it'll be done in short order."

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Julia was an ambitious woman and clearly a very beautiful one, but she would come to her senses in short order.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson