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Zeonis Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

Idiomatic expression

I don't understand the expression " came up short for an answer to " in the following sentences.

To my understanding "come up short for" means to fail to achieve something. But In the following sentence I can't clearly understand the whole meaning.


In each of these cases, and in many more, I never came up short
for an answer to the rhetorical question on the tip of so many people’s
tongues: How could you work with such people?

  

Top answer

"For" is anomalous with "came up short". You are seeing inept writing, or at least a rendering of the speech of an inept speaker. Do yourself a favor, and put it out of your mind.

— Anonymous

  • "For" is anomalous with "came up short".
  • You are seeing inept writing, or at least a rendering of the speech of an inept speaker.
  • Do yourself a favor, and put it out of your mind.
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3 Answers
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"For" is anomalous with "came up short". You are seeing inept writing, or at least a rendering of the speech of an inept speaker. Do yourself a favor, and put it out of your mind.

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zeonis I can't clearly understand the whole meaning.
zeonisI never came up short for an answer ...

I never failed to have an answer ... / I always had an answer ...

zeonisrhetorical question

A question to which no answer is expected, often used for rhetorical effect.
A quest

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One never answers rhetorical questions, and "How could you work with such people?" is a rhetorical question. But here the rhetorical question is not actually asked. It's just about to be asked, and the speaker answers it before it's asked, which would apparently be okay, although maybe a little rude.

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