Shortchange

Pronunciation: /ʃɔrtʃeɪndʒ/

Definitions of shortchange

verb to give someone less money than they are owed, often in a dishonest or unfair way

Example Sentences

A1 I accidentally shortchanged the cashier when I paid for my groceries.

A2 Be careful not to shortchange yourself by settling for less than you deserve.

B1 The company shortchanged its employees by not paying them overtime wages.

B2 The contractor shortchanged the client by using substandard materials in the construction project.

C1 The politician was accused of shortchanging the public by not fulfilling his campaign promises.

C2 The artist felt shortchanged by the critics who did not appreciate the depth of his work.

Examples of shortchange in a Sentence

formal The customer felt that the store was trying to shortchange him by not providing a full refund.

informal Don't shortchange yourself by settling for less than you deserve.

slang I won't let them shortchange me on this deal.

figurative By not investing in your education, you are shortchanging your future potential.

Grammatical Forms of shortchange

• past tense: shortchanged
• plural: shortchanges
• comparative: shorter
• superlative: shortest
• present tense: shortchange
• future tense: will shortchange
• perfect tense: has shortchanged
• continuous tense: is shortchanging
• singular: shortchange
• positive degree: shortchange
• infinitive: to shortchange
• gerund: shortchanging
• participle: shortchanged

Origin and Evolution of shortchange

First Known Use: 1920 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'shortchange' originated in the United States in the early 20th century.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in financial contexts to mean giving insufficient change, 'shortchange' has evolved to also mean depriving someone of something they are due or deserve.