short time

American  

noun

1. a period or schedule during which the number of working hours is reduced.

   The recession has put most of the manufacturing plants on short time.

---

short time British  

noun

1. a system of working, usually for a temporary period, when employees are required to work and be paid for fewer than their normal hours per week due to a shortage of work

---

Other Word Forms

• short-time
  adjective

Example Sentences

But he, in his short time at the agency, really came to see its importance, and he liked the way the suit felt.

From Slate • May 21, 2026

But taken as a whole, the trend has shifted beauty standards enormously, and in a very short time.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

"The male's expression could possibly have been perceived as shocked due to his facial expressions, but I only saw him for a very short time."

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Donald Trump used the opportunity to call that press conference in the Brady Briefing Room a short time later.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

A short time later, he took the train to Zurich about one hour away and registered at an upscale hotel there, using an assumed name.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• moment
• second