| 释义 |
ˈshort-fall
Also short fall, shortfall.
[From the phrase to fall short: see fall v. 97.]
A falling short; the amount by which a supply falls short, shortage, deficiency. Also, a decline; a short-coming, a fault; a deficit, a gap; a loss. Also attrib.
1895Johannesburg Standard 23 Nov. 5/2 The best that could be expected this year from the harvest was an eight months' crop, and the shortfall would be some million-and-a-half bags of grain. 1906Macm. Mag. Aug. 793 From the very beginning the shortfall in the labour-supply had been the principal factor in the slow development of these colonies. 1928London Mercury May 4 We notice in Mr. Churchill's Budget Speech the repeated use of the word ‘shortfall’. The word is used to indicate the difference between the amount estimated and the amount received, when the difference is on the wrong side. 1941W. S. Churchill 2nd World War (1950) III. 748 We cannot afford losses on that scale in view of the short fall of the American bomber programme. 1953Economist 3 Jan. 35/1 The Exchequer return as a whole..showed a deficit of {pstlg}951 million, in contrast with one of {pstlg}602 million in the first nine months of 1951/52. These comparisons, moreover, understate the extent of the shortfall. 1960Times Rev. Industry Mar. 99/3 The report estimates that the changes in American shares of these markets alone cost just over $500m. in 1958. This total is called a shortfall, for want of a better name, but is the equivalent value in 1958 of the net change in the United States share of these six markets for a list of 45 classes of manufactured goods. 1960Catholic Herald 1 Apr. 3/3 He has..no illusions about her [sc. France's] immediate shortfall from that high level of being. 1960Washington Post 16 Nov. a16 West Germany is now running a foreign payment surplus about half the size of the country's deficit, which in view of the disparity in gross product suggests a considerable shortfall by the Federal republic in the assumption of common obligations. 1966Economist 28 May 970/3 Lord Moran's apology for his [sc. Churchill's] shortfalls in world and domestic decisions is based too often on a too simple fallacy. 1969Times 14 Feb. 25/4 The shortfall between exports and imports in January was $216m. 1971‘D. Halliday’ Dolly & Doctor Bird ii. 23 A scene of continuous short-fall pandemonium. 1976Ann. Rep. Manpower Services Comm. 1975–76 iii. 25/2 To make good the shortfall in employers' recruitment into long-term training occupations ITBs made available ‘training awards’ where the level of recruitment overall into long-term training was likely to fall below the particular industry's long-term needs. 1981Times 4 Aug. 16/5 Half year figures from Standard Telephone & Cables revealed a profits shortfall. |