short commons

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Already they were getting used to much walking on short commons — shorter at any rate than what in the Shire they would have thought barely enough to keep them on their legs.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Meg looked worn and nervous, the babies absorbed every minute of her time, the house was neglected, and Kitty, the cook, who took life ‘aisy’, kept him on short commons.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

I tell you that we may be down to short commons again, as we used to be in Bloomingsburg.

From The Corner House Girls How they moved to Milton, what they found, and what they did by Hill, Grace Brooks

At Kimberley on November 4 things were still cheerful, though short commons had begun to be enforced.

From South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 3 (of 6) From the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899, to Lord Roberts's Advance into the Free State, 12th Feb. 1900 by Creswicke, Louis

But along came a famine time and everyone was livin' on short commons.

From The Lash by Lyman, Olin L.