come up short
English
Verb
come up short (third-person singular simple present comes up short, present participle coming up short, simple past came up short, past participle come up short)
- Synonym of fall short
- They kept coming up short every time they closed out the register.
- The register kept coming up short every time they closed it out.
- She fished in her purse for more quarters but came up short.
See also
- come out ahead
- come away with (an outcome or lesson)