"Give the short sleeve" is an expression that exists?

[Giugiaro]

Does the idiom Giving *someone* the short sleeve actually exist?

I had the notion this phrase meant "to ignore" someone, "not paying attention" or "avoid swiftly", like:

People went on rally to Downing Street, but the Prime Minister gave them the short sleeve.

I tried to look the expression up on the Internet, but couldn't find anything.

I might be mistaking it for "Drawing the short straw", but that generally means "bad luck". There's also no such thing on my mother tongue or any language that I've learnt, so that can't be the case...

 

[AlterEgo]

You’re thinking of short shrift.
You give someone short shrift if you ignore them or brush them off.

 

[Shrewbly]

Incidentally shrift* is one of those words in English that is hardly ever used except as part of an idiom.

*Absolution by a priest (I had to look this up even though I've used the idiom!)

 

[yorkie]

Does the idiom Giving *someone* the short sleeve actually exist?

Nope.

 

[DaleCooper]

I went to buy a shirt, they had long sleeve and short sleeve shirts. I asked the assistant to give me the short sleeve.

 

[Giugiaro]

You’re thinking of short shrift.
You give someone short shrift if you ignore them or brush them off.

That's so weird! I wonder where did I heard this for it to get stuck in my head!

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes it is, I used it the other day. Punctuation may be an issue though. I was trying to get my daughter out of the house, and she was mucking about with a pair of shorts that were her sisters. So I said:

“Give her the shorts, leave!”

 

[ComUtoR]

Sounds like a very common catphrase

 

[DaleCooper]

Sounds like a very common catphrase

9 out of 10 cats use it.