shortly

English edit

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

shortly (not comparable)

In a short or brief time or manner; quickly.
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.
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.
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.

in a short or brief time or manner

in or after a short time

in few words; briefly

in an irritable manner

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

shortly

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

shortly

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