I've always referred to a shirt that has short sleeves as a "short sleeve" shirt. However, I've also heard it be referred to as a "shirt sleeve" shirt or "wearing shirt sleeves." This seems like a mistake and counter-intuitive: the shirt has less of a sleeve than usual so why refer to it as a "shirt sleeve" shirt when that's the very thing that's missing?!
I would appreciate your input on the popularity of one phrase over the other and the logic/origin behind the "shirt sleeves" term.
Learn English – Short Sleeves or Shirt Sleeves
expressionsword-choice
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I have heard both, and probably use both myself undistinguishly. My usual sources conflict on that one, actually. The New Oxford American Dictionary, which is, well, American, says:
at short (or a moment's) notice
with little warning or time for preparation: tours may be canceled at short notice.
On the other hand, Merriam-Webster’s says
- (US) We can be ready on short notice. = (Brit) We can be ready at short notice.
- (US) Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice. = (Brit) Thank you for meeting with me at such short notice.
The Corpus of Contemporary American English agrees with the latter, as it gives 33 hits for “at short notice” against 187 hits for “on short notice”. Google ngrams gives the same picture, but slightly less contrasted:
Best Answer
There is a difference in the meanings; to be "in shirt sleeves" means that your shirt sleeves (long or short) are exposed - so you're not wearing a jacket, jumper or coat over the top (apart from a waistcoat of course). Like you, I've heard one or two people confuse the terms, but according to the Cambridge dictionary, among others, being in shirt sleeves does not imply short sleeves.