shortfall
UK/'ʃɒ:tfɒ:l/US
C2
Definitions
n.
The amount by which something is less than what was needed or expected; a deficit.
缺口，不足额；亏空。
Root Breakdown
Native English+
fallto fall, to be deceived, to err, to be false
=shortfall
From "to fall short" — to land below a target amount (the Germanic "drop" fall). The shortfall is the gap itself: how far the actual figure falls below what was expected. Mostly used for money and numbers (a budget shortfall).
Root short still carries 9 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.budget shortfall预算亏空
- 2.funding shortfall资金缺口
- 3.cover the shortfall填补缺口
- 4.a shortfall of……的缺口
Example Sentences
- 1.
The charity faces a shortfall of two million dollars this year.
- 2.
Higher costs created a shortfall in the company's budget.
- 3.
They borrowed money to cover the shortfall in funding.