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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• short-time
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short time

This all makes for a more productive and thorough visit within the short time allotted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

“Of course the industry will boom in a very short time, but it will also lead to a price war,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Because it survives for only a short time, unusually large amounts of formaldehyde can act as a chemical fingerprint showing that methane destruction is actively taking place.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

The short time frame would allow for little public debate of a bill filed this week.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Maybe it was the short time I had spent with Cecile and the Black Panthers last summer.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• moment
• second