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3. nothing short of

nothing short of

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nothing short of something

more or less the same as something bad; as bad as something. His behavior was nothing short of criminal. Climbing those mountains alone is nothing short of suicide.

See also: nothing, of, short

nothing short of something

strongly showing this quality nothing less than something She is nothing short of amazing in her latest movie.

Usage notes: used to emphasize the quality mentioned

See also: nothing, of, short

nothing short of

The equivalent of, the same as, as in His accusation is nothing short of slander. This term is slightly stronger than little short of, meaning "almost the same as," as in Her claim is little short of stupid. The first term dates from about 1800, the second from about 1830. Also see short of.

See also: nothing, of, short