short shrift

Meanings

1. A rushed sacrament of confession given to a prisoner who is to be executed very soon.
2. Speedy execution, usually without any proper determination of guilt.
3. A short interval of relief or time.
4. Sometimes preceded by the: a quick dismissal or rejection, especially one which is impolite and undertaken without proper consideration.
5. Something dealt with or overcome quickly and without difficulty; something made short work of.

Etymology

From short + shrift (“act of going to or hearing a religious confession; confession to a priest”). Shrift is derived from Middle English shrift (“confession to a priest; act or instance of this; sacrament of penance; penance assigned by a priest; penitence, repentance; punishment for sin”) [and other forms], from Old English sċrift (“penance, shrift; something prescribed as punishment, penalty; one who passes sentence, a judge”), from sċrīfan (“of a priest: to prescribe absolution or penance; to pass judgment, ordain, prescribe; to appoint, decree”) (whence shrive), from Proto-Germanic *skrībaną (“to write”), from Latin scrībō (“to write”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreybʰ- (“to scratch, tear”).