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): /ʃɔːɹtli/

Adverb

shortly (not comparable)

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

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, volumes (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

   • 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: ско́ро (ru) (skóro), вско́ре (ru) (vskóre)
• Scottish Gaelic: gu grad
• Spanish: pronto (es), en breve

in or after a short time

• Bulgarian: скоро (bg) (skoro)
• Finnish: pian (fi), kohta (fi)
• German: bald (de)
• Italian: tra poco
• Latin: brevī (la)
• Portuguese: brevemente (pt), em breve (pt)
• 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

From Old English sċortlīċ, equivalent to short +‎ -ly.

Alternative forms

• schortly
• Lambo

Adjective

shortly

1. lasting a short time; transitory
2. brief; concise
3. fast; quick

Etymology 2

From Old English sċortlīċe, equivalent to short +‎ -ly.

Alternative forms

• schortly, schortliche

Adverb

shortly

1. shortly (in a short period of time)
   • 14^th Century, Chaucer, General Prologue

     Now have I toold you shortly in a clause

     Now that I have briefly told you above