# shortly

Pronunciation: US say "SHORT-lee" /ˈʃɔɹtli/; UK say "SHAWT-lee" /ˈʃɔːtli/

## Adverb

1. Before long, or a short time after a given moment.
   - Simple: Soon, or within a short time after something happens.
   - _The CEO will address the press shortly to respond to the report._
   - _Shortly before midnight, the power went out across the neighborhood._
2. Quickly and briefly; without taking much time.
   - Simple: Quickly, or taking only a very short time.
   - _The storm shortly passed, lasting no more than ten minutes._
   - _The committee shortly disposed of the routine items, leaving the whole afternoon for the main debate._
3. In few words; concisely and without elaboration.
   - Simple: Using only a few words, not a long explanation.
   - _Shortly put, the merger failed because neither side trusted the other._
   - _The report shortly summarizes each finding before launching into the full analysis._
4. In an irritable, abrupt manner, as when speaking curtly to someone.
   - Simple: In an annoyed way, with quick and unfriendly words.
   - _"Not now," the manager said shortly, without looking up from his screen._
   - _She dismissed the suggestion shortly, clearly annoyed at being interrupted again._

## Origin

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

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/shortly (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).