shorts

British  

/ ʃɔːts /

plural noun

1. trousers reaching the top of the thigh or partway to the knee, worn by both sexes for sport, relaxing in summer, etc

2. Usual Brit word: pants.  men's underpants that usually reach mid-thigh

3. short-dated gilt-edged securities

4. short-term bonds

5. securities or commodities that have been sold short

6. timber cut shorter than standard lengths

7. a livestock feed containing a large proportion of bran and wheat germ

8. items needed to make up a deficiency

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Example Sentences

Lauren Halsey walks by in her distinctive white shirt, long shorts and ball cap, beset on all sides by friends and admirers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Men attempting to conceive are told to avoid heat to the genitals, e.g., avoiding hot tubs and biking shorts.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

Dressed in a hoodie and shorts on a stripped-back stage, Bieber was joined by musical guests including The Kid Laroi, Wizkid, Tems and Dijon.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

And since losses from some of those shorts could be unlimited, the covering of those positions could trigger a stampede of buying, a circumstance known on Wall Street as a short squeeze.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Michael watched Beejee stop between buildings to rifle through the pockets of the cargo shorts.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• bikini
• bra
• corset
• lingerie
• undergarment
• underpants
• undershirt