instead, needless, fall short of, short (LACKING)

TOP STORY

Sweating Over the Stress Tests

After labeling its plan to "stress test" the nation's top 19 banks an important part of instilling confidence in the market, the government is now playing down the importance of the results, which are expected to be released next week.

Behind the scenes, Andrew Ross Sorkin writes in his latest DealBook column, there are increasing worries that this latest effort to bolster confidence may undermine it instead.

Google’s Profit Is Up 8%, Beating Analysts’ Estimates 
By MIGUEL HELFT
Google’s revenue was just short of analysts’ forecasts, while cost-cutting measures helped push profit above expectations.

例子
With the addition of Windows Mobile 6, the T-Mobile Wing adds a powerful smart phone to the carrier's lineup; however, performance falls a bit short of the competition.

short (LACKING) Show phonetics
adjective
lacking:
to be short of space/time
We're a bit short of coffee - I must get some more.
The bill comes to £85, but we're £15 short.
I'm a little short (= I do not have much money) this week - could you lend me ten dollars?

shortage Show phonetics
noun [C]
when there is not enough of something:
There's a shortage of food and shelter in the refugee camps.
The long hot summer has led to serious water shortages.

shortness Show phonetics
noun [U]
The disease may cause cold sweating, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath (= difficulties in breathing).
See also shortness at short (DISTANCE), short (TIME).

fall short of
Prove inadequate or insufficient. For example, His skills fell short of the required standard. [Late 1500s]


Meaning #1: fail to satisfy, as of expectations, for example
Antonym: satisfy (meaning #1)

needless to say
as you would expect; added to, or used to introduce, a remark giving information which is expected and not surprising:
Needless to say, he'll be off work for a while.
need (MUST DO) Show phonetics
verb [+ to infinitive or + infinitive without to]
1 to have (to):
[+ to infinitive] He needs to lose a bit of weight.
I need to do some shopping on my way home from work.
[+ infinitive without to] I don't think we need ask him.
Nothing need be done about this till next week.
SLIGHTLY FORMAL "Need we take your mother?" "No, we needn't/I don't think we need."

2 UK sb/sth needn't do sth there is no reason for someone or something to do a particular thing:
You needn't worry - I'm not going to mention it to anyone.
It's a wonderful way of getting to see Italy, and it needn't cost very much.

3 MAINLY UK sb needn't do sth used, often when you are angry with someone, to say that they should not do a particular thing or that they have no right to do it:
He needn't think I'm driving him all the way there!
You needn't laugh! It'll be your turn next!

4 sb didn't need to used to say either that someone did a particular thing although they did not have to, or that they did not do it because they did not have to:
I gave her some extra money - I know I didn't need to but I thought it would be kind.
"Did you ask Sophia to help?" "I didn't need to - I managed perfectly well on my own."

5 MAINLY UK sb needn't have done sth it was not necessary for someone to have done a particular thing, although they did do it:
You needn't have washed all those dishes, you know - I'd have done them myself when I got home.
You needn't have worried about the dinner - it was delicious!

needless Show phonetics
adjective
completely unnecessary:
All that needless worrying over what I'd say to him at the party, and he wasn't even there!

needlessly Show phonetics
adverb
in a way that is not necessary:
She'd worried quite needlessly about whether there would be enough food.(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

反對者表示﹐大壩建設將威脅到週邊的瀕危物種、破壞歷史遺址﹐並無謂地迫使100多萬人遷居他鄉﹐因為發電和治水的功效興建小型水壩即可實現。

Opponents say the dam's construction has threatened endangered species, destroyed historical sites and needlessly forced the relocation of more than a million people to achieve what smaller dams could have done.
Shai Oster

　無謂沒有意義，沒有道理。史記˙卷六˙秦始皇本紀：「如此，則子議父，臣議君也，甚無謂，朕弗取焉。」老殘遊記˙第四回：「本想再為盤桓兩天，看這光景，恐無謂的糾纏，要越逼越緊了！」


instead
adv.

1. In the place of something previously mentioned; as a substitute or an equivalent: Having planned to drive, we walked instead.
2. In preference; as an alternative: yearned instead for a home and family.

[Middle English in sted of, in place of : in, in; see in¹ + stede, place; see stead + of, of; see of.]