FromMiddle Englishschortly,schortliche, fromOld Englishsċortlīċe(“shortly; before long; soon”), equivalent toshort +-ly.
shortly (notcomparable)
- In ashort orbrief time or manner; quickly.
- In or after a short time; soon.
1897 December (indicated as1898),Winston Churchill, chapter IV, inThe Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.:The Macmillan Company; London:Macmillan & Co., Ltd.,→OCLC,page46: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 wouldshortly join me if I would kindly wait.
- In few words
- Synonyms:briefly,concisely
Ideas are generally expressed moreshortly in verse than in prose
- In anirritable ("short") manner.
- Synonyms:abruptly,curtly
- "Stop interrupting me, will ya?" she saidshortly.
2009, Susanne James,The Millionaire's Chosen Bride, page147:'Well, I still think it was a rather off-hand way for you—for anyone—to behave,' he saidshortly.
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
FromOld Englishsċortlīċ, equivalent toshort +-ly.
shortly
- lasting a short time; transitory
- brief; concise
- fast; quick
FromOld Englishsċortlīċe, equivalent toshort +-ly.
shortly
- shortly (in a short period of time)
