From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe short with somebodybe short with somebodyRUDE/IMPOLITEto speak to someone using very few words, in a way that seems rude or unfriendly Sorry I was short with you on the phone this morning. → short
Examples from the Corpus
be short with somebody• Hatching time is short with fry appearing after 24 to 30 hours, and growing rapidly when fed with rotifers.• Farrar was short with livery lips and thick black eyebrows, and Something was prematurely bald and thought he was really cool.• He was short with me, in fact.• No wonder he was short with me over the phone.• He was short with one blue-black hand and the other arm half gone, ended cleanly just below the elbow.• Sorry I was short with you on the phone this morning. 