short shrift

Contents

English

Etymology

Originally, a rushed sacrament of confession (shrift) given to a prisoner who was to be executed very soon.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌʃɔː(ɹ)t ˈʃɹɪft/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌʃɔɹt ˈʃɹɪft/

Noun

short shrift (plural short shrifts)

1. (informal, sometimes preceded by the) A quick rejection, especially one which is impolite and undertaken without proper consideration.

   The bank gave me short shrift when I applied for a loan.

   • 2019 April 14, Alex McLevy, “Winter is here on Game Of Thrones' final season premiere (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club‎^[1]:

     “Winterfell” does a lot of work in a short amount of time, but unlike some previous episodes that engaged in significant table setting, it never feels too rushed or like characters are being given short shrift in the effort to hurry to the next beat.

Translations

quick rejection

• Finnish: pikatuomio

See also

• make short work of

References

• “get be given short shrift” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “short shrift” in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press.