[syn: abruptness, brusqueness, curtness, gruffness, shortness]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Shortness \Short"ness\, n.
The quality or state of being short; want of reach or
extension; brevity; deficiency; as, the shortness of a
journey; the shortness of the days in winter; the shortness
of an essay; the shortness of the memory; a shortness of
provisions; shortness of breath.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
shortness
n 1: the property of being of short spatial extent; "the
shortness of the Channel crossing" [ant: longness]
2: the condition of being short of something; "there was no
shortness of money"; "can cause shortness of breath"
3: the property of being truncated or short [syn: shortness,
truncation]
4: the property of being of short temporal extent; "the
shortness of air travel time" [ant: longness]
5: the property of being shorter than average stature [ant:
tallness]
6: an abrupt discourteous manner [syn: abruptness,
brusqueness, curtness, gruffness, shortness]