come up short

English

Verb

come up short (third-person singular simple present comes up short, present participle coming up short, simple past came up short, past participle come up short)

1. Synonym of fall short

   They kept coming up short every time they closed out the register.

   The register kept coming up short every time they closed it out.

   She fished in her purse for more quarters but came up short.

   • 2023 April 5, “Network News: Conservatives accused of "rewarding Avanti's failure"”, in RAIL, number 980, page 6:

     "Avanti has never employed enough drivers to deliver the services it has promised. That is why, every day this year, the company has come up short."

Related terms

• come up roses
• come up snake eyes

See also

• come away with (an outcome or lesson)
• come out ahead
• come up with