short shrift

noun

1

: barely adequate time for confession before execution

2

a

: little or no attention or consideration

gave the problem short shrift

b

: quick work

—usually used in the phrase make short shrift of

Did you know?

We’ve got a confession to make, but we’ll keep it brief: while it’s technically possible to make “long shrift” of something, you’re unlikely to find long shrift in our (virtual or actual) pages anytime soon. Short shrift, on the other hand, has been keeping it real—real terse, that is—for centuries. The earliest known use of the phrase comes from William Shakespeare’s play Richard III, in which Lord Hastings, who has been condemned by King Richard to be beheaded, is told by Sir Richard Ratcliffe to “Make a short shrift” as the king “longs to see your head.” Although now archaic, the noun shrift was understood in Shakespeare’s time to refer to the confession or absolution of sins, so “make a short shrift” meant, quite literally, “keep your confession short.” However, since at least the 19th century the phrase has been used figuratively to refer to a small or inadequate amount of time or attention given to something.

Examples of short shrift in a Sentence

He gives short shrift to the author's later works.

Recent Examples on the Web

Given short shrift in mini-Blinds were Tsola and Deon Jones, both one-chair turns who were added to Team Reba. —Charlie Mason, TVLine, 14 Oct. 2024

Yet even though hospitals and clinics play a central role in mitigating or amplifying the toll of public health emergencies, governments have given them short shrift. —Jennifer Nuzzo, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020

But the other big thing — her friendship with Snoop Dogg — was given short shrift in the soundtrack. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2024

Of all those jobs, the unseen, nonpublic-facing one—the actual cremation—began to get short shrift. —Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

short shrift

noun

: little or no attention or consideration

gave the problem short shrift