shortly

English

Etymology

From Middle English schortly, schortliche, from Old English sċortlīċe (“shortly; before long; soon”), equivalent to short +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɔɹtli/

Adverb

shortly (not comparable)

1. In a short or brief time or manner; quickly.
2. In or after a short time; soon.

   The past perfect progressive is used for actions and situations which had continued up to a past moment or shortly before it.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:

     No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.

   • 2023 November 22, Brammhi Balarajan, “US interfaith communities draw on decades-long bonds to navigate Israel-Hamas War”, in CNN‎:

     Kaplan-Miller said she first joined the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an interfaith organization that was founded by a Muslim and a Jewish woman in suburban New Jersey, shortly after the 2016 election.

3. In few words.

   Synonyms: briefly, concisely

   Ideas are generally expressed more shortly in verse than in prose

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

     We shall not describe this tragical scene too fully; but we thought ourselves obliged, by that historic integrity which we profess, shortly to hint a matter which we would otherwise have been glad to have spared.

4. In an irritable ("short") manner.

   Synonyms: abruptly, curtly

   "Stop interrupting me, will ya?" she said shortly.

   • 2009, Susanne James, The Millionaire's Chosen Bride, page 147:

     'Well, I still think it was a rather off-hand way for you—for anyone—to behave,' he said shortly.
     Suddenly Melody felt trapped—and annoyed. And she didn't like being spoken to like a child, either.

Translations

in a short or brief time or manner

Bulgarian: кратко (bg) (kratko), сбито (bg) (sbito) Catalan: aviat (ca), en breu (ca) Czech: zanedlouho (cs) Finnish: pikaisesti (fi), nopeasti (fi) French: rapidement (fr) Italian: subito (it) Korean: 금방 (ko) (geumbang) Maori: ākuara, potopoto, ā kō kō ake nei Polish: wkrótce (pl) Portuguese: rapidamente (pt) Russian: кра́тко (ru) (krátko), недо́лго (ru) (nedólgo) Scottish Gaelic: gu grad Spanish: pronto (es), en breve

in or after a short time

Bulgarian: скоро (bg) (skoro) Esperanto: baldaŭ (eo) Finnish: pian (fi), kohta (fi) German: bald (de) Italian: tra poco Kyrgyz: жакында (ky) (jakında) Latin: brevī (la) Portuguese: brevemente (pt), em breve (pt) Russian: ско́ро (ru) (skóro), вско́ре (ru) (vskóre) Swedish: inom kort (sv), snart (sv) Welsh: gyda hyn

in few words; briefly

Bulgarian: накратко (bg) (nakratko) Catalan: breument (ca) Finnish: lyhyesti (fi) French: brièvement (fr) Italian: in breve Portuguese: brevemente (pt), concisamente Russian: ко́ротко (ru) (kórotko), кра́тко (ru) (krátko), вкра́тце (ru) (vkrátce), сжа́то (ru) (sžáto) Swedish: kort (sv), fåordigt (sv)

in an irritable manner

Catalan: bruscament (ca) Finnish: töykeästi (fi) Russian: отры́висто (ru) (otrývisto), ре́зко (ru) (rézko)

Middle English

Etymology 1

Adjective

shortly

1. alternative form of schortly (adjective)

Etymology 2

Adverb

shortly

1. alternative form of schortly (adverb)
   • 14^th Century, Chaucer, General Prologue

     Now have I toold you shortly in a clause

     Now that I have briefly told you above