If you’re working nine to five, you don’t have a short shift. Depending on your job, you might feel like you’re often given short shrift, though.
If you go out shopping, maybe you could buy a short shift dress. You wouldn’t want to buy a short shrift dress, because one, it doesn’t sound like a power piece for your wardrobe, and two, I really don’t have a clue what that might look like. Maybe you could just blame that one on bad signage, I suppose. Someone should have done some editing.
Remember, if you’re looking for the phrase meaning ignored or given little consideration, “short shrift” is correct.
“Shrift” is an old word referring to confession that we don’t generally see anymore. The expression “short shrift” was used for the first time by Shakespeare in Richard III, and in this usage, it was referring to a literal brief confession. The metaphoric use that we’re familiar with today didn’t come until centuries later.
“Short shift” is a common enough typo, but it’s not one that you want to repeat or wear or print on any retail signage.
Be careful to avoid this misspelling, folks.
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