1
the shortness of sth
此结构强调某物本身很短（长度、时间等），通常带定冠词 the。
The shortness of the speech gave everyone more time for questions.
演讲的简短让所有人有更多时间提问。
短；矮小
shortnesses — plural of shortness
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
短；矮小
the property of being short in physical length or height
The shortness of the speech gave everyone more time for questions.
演讲的简短让所有人有更多时间提问。
矮小或短暂的特性。
The property of being short, of being small of stature or brief.
矮小或短暂的结果或产物。
The result or product of being short.
简短或简练的特性。
The property of being short or terse.
His shortness made it difficult for him to reach the top shelf.
他个子矮，很难够到顶层架子。
Everyone appreciated the shortness of the speech, since the audience was very tired.
大家都欣赏演讲的简短，因为听众已经很累了。
The villagers worried about the shortness of drinking water in the dry season.
村民们担心旱季饮用水不足。
此结构强调某物本身很短（长度、时间等），通常带定冠词 the。
The shortness of the speech gave everyone more time for questions.
演讲的简短让所有人有更多时间提问。
此结构表示缺乏、不足，后接抽象名词（如 time、funds）。
Shortness of time meant we had to skip the last part.
时间不足意味着我们不得不跳过最后一部分。
shortness of breath 是固定说法，指呼吸困难或气短，不能改作 breath shortness。
He was admitted to hospital with severe shortness of breath.
他因严重的呼吸急促被送进医院。
Not this
This rope is shortness.
Use this
This rope is short.
shortness 是名词，表示“短(的状态)”，不能单独放在 be 动词后作表语；表达“某物本身是短的”时应使用形容词 short。
Not this
There is a shortness of food.
Use this
There is a shortage of food.
shortness 表示“短小、简短”，而表示资源或数量“不足、短缺”时应用 shortage；这是把中文“不足”直译成 shortness 导致的误用。
Not this
I have shortness of breathe.
Use this
I have shortness of breath.
固定搭配 shortness of breath（气短）中 breath 是名词；breathe 是动词，表示“呼吸”的动作。此处应保持名词形式 breath。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
气短；呼吸困难
The patient complained of shortness of breath after climbing the stairs.
病人抱怨爬楼梯后气短。
时间不足
Due to shortness of time, we had to skip the last part of the presentation.
由于时间不足，我们不得不跳过演示的最后一部分。
脾气急躁；易怒
His shortness of temper often got him into trouble at work.
他脾气急躁，经常在工作中惹上麻烦。
生命短暂
The poem reflects on the shortness of life and the passage of time.
这首诗感叹生命短暂和时光流逝。
身材矮小
Despite his shortness of stature, he was a formidable basketball player.
尽管他身材矮小，却是一名可怕的篮球运动员。
记忆力差；健忘
Her shortness of memory made it hard for her to remember names.
她记性差，很难记住名字。
气短；呼吸急促
Shortness of breath can be a sign of a serious medical condition.
气短可能是严重疾病的征兆。
脾气急躁；易怒
His shortness of temper often gets him into trouble at work.
他的急性子常常让他在工作中惹上麻烦。
时间不足；时间仓促
Due to the shortness of time, we couldn't visit all the exhibits.
由于时间仓促，我们没能参观所有的展品。
Use shortnesses naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记 shortness：short 是“短的”，ness 是名词后缀。想象短尺子量布总差一截——既“短小”又“不足”。
语域：mixed 常见场景：书面/正式语体、医学/健康（气短）、技术/化工（脆性） shortness 作为名词通常多用于书面或正式语体；在搭配 shortness of breath 中属中性，常见于医学或健康话题；在化工等技术语境中则指“脆性”。日常口语里一般较少单独使用。
shortness 按所给音标读作 /ˈʃɒːtnɪs/。下列词中没有任何一个与 shortness 完全押韵：fitness /ˈfɪtnəs/ 和 witness /ˈwɪtnəs/ 彼此押韵，但它们的元音 /ɪ/ 不同于 shortness 的 /ɒː/；goodness 和 business 仅与 shortness 共享 -ness 后缀，business 的 -ness 读 /znəs/（s 发 /z/ 音），而 shortness 的 -ness 读 /nɪs/ 或 /nəs/。short 是 shortness 的开头部分，但只对应拼写和第一个音节；shirt 与 short 形近，读 /ʃɜːt/，注意不要混淆。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.