short-handed

[ shawrt-han-did ]
See synonyms for short-handed on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not having the usual or necessary number of workers, helpers, etc.

Origin of short-handed

1
First recorded in 1615–25

Other words from short-handed

  • short-hand·ed·ness, noun

Words Nearby short-handed

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use short-handed in a sentence

  • That stuff can sometimes be short-handed to "white," but at the speaker's peril.

    It's Always One Word | Michael Tomasky | June 22, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • And because the immigration inspector rejected Kahtani, United Airlines Flight 93 was short-handed on 9/11.

    A 9/11 Hero's Outrage | Michael Smerconish | July 24, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • You will be short-handed; I cannot spare enough men from the ships on this station to make up a full complement.

    A Roving Commission | G. A. Henty
  • It happened that the College in Beirut was short-handed that year, and in need of an additional teacher.

    Silver Chimes in Syria | W. S. Nelson
  • "And she'll be rather short-handed for men," observed Donovan.

    Left on Labrador | Charles Asbury Stephens
  • They knew well that we were short-handed just now, and thought to take advantage of us; but hah!

    The Norsemen in the West | R.M. Ballantyne
  • Studding-sails are rather ungainly things to handle in a quickly freshening breeze, if one happens to be at all short-handed.

    The Cruise of the "Esmeralda" | Harry Collingwood

British Dictionary definitions for short-handed

short-handed

adjective
  1. lacking the usual or necessary number of assistants, workers, etc

  2. sport, US and Canadian with less than the full complement of players

Derived forms of short-handed

  • short-handedness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012