for short

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   Used after a shorter name to say that this is the short way of saying a longer name.

   Grammar: It comes after the short form: say 'Robert, or Bob for short', not 'Bob for short Robert'.

   Patterns

   • something, or something for short
   • call someone something for short

   Her full name is Katherine, but everyone calls her Kate for short.

   The company is International Business Machines, or IBM for short.

   We live in Los Angeles, or LA for short.

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   Used to give a shortened form of a longer word or title that people often say in full.

   Grammar: Often follows 'or' and a comma, and it can refer to places, groups or objects as well as people.

   Patterns

   • something, or something for short

   The exam is called the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL for short.

   They work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT for short.

   My grandmother's name was Margaret, Maggie for short.

Common combinations

or ... for short

His name is William, or Will for short.

call someone ... for short

We call her Alex for short, though her full name is Alexandra.

be known as ... for short

The stadium is known as the Dome for short.

use ... for short

In this report we use GDP for short.

... for short in writing

The city is written as NYC for short in writing.

Synonyms and how they differ

in short

This means 'in a few words' when you are summarizing something, not when you are shortening a name.

abbreviated

This is an adjective meaning 'made shorter', and it describes the form itself rather than introducing it after a name.

Commonly confused: for short or in short?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “for short”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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