short arm—a small inlet of a river:
- There are overnight mooring available in the short arm on east bank immediately above Diglis Lock.
short hand—
1. a quick way of writing which uses signs instead of letters or words:
- I was confronted with an old copy of the Academy, with some shorthand notes on the margin.
2. the hand of a clock or watch which indicates the hours:
- When it is one o’clock the hour hand, the short hand, is pointing towards the number one.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the adjectival compound short-handed—(of an organization, etc.) not having enough people; understaffed:
- The crews in the pearling schooners and small traders are very short-handed.
See also: big hand / small hand.