What's the difference between lack and shortcoming?

Lack


Definition:

  • (n.) Blame; cause of blame; fault; crime; offense.
  • (n.) Deficiency; want; need; destitution; failure; as, a lack of sufficient food.
  • (v. t.) To blame; to find fault with.
  • (v. t.) To be without or destitute of; to want; to need.
  • (v. i.) To be wanting; often, impersonally, with of, meaning, to be less than, short, not quite, etc.
  • (v. i.) To be in want.
  • (interj.) Exclamation of regret or surprise.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Here we have asked whether protection from blood-borne antigens afforded by the blood-brain barrier is related to the lack of MHC expression.
  • (2) tRNA from mutant IB13 lacks 5-methylaminomethyl-2-thio-uridine in vivo due to a permanently nonfunctional methyltransferase.
  • (3) BL6 mouse melanoma cells lack detectable H-2Kb and had low levels of expression of H-2Db Ag.
  • (4) Treatment termination due to lack of efficacy or combined insufficient therapeutic response and toxicity proved to be influenced by the initial disease activity and by the rank order of prescription.
  • (5) In the past, the interpretation of the medical findings was hampered by a lack of knowledge of normal anatomy and genital flora in the nonabused prepubertal child.
  • (6) A diplomatic source said the killing appeared particularly unusual because of Farooq lack of recent political activity: "He was lying low in the past two years.
  • (7) The present study examined whether the lack of chronic hemodynamic effects of ANP in control rats was due to changes in vascular reactivity to the peptide.
  • (8) Since it was established, it has stoked controversy about contemporary art, though in recent years it has been more notable for its lack of sensationalism.
  • (9) Inadequate treatment, caused by a lack of drugs and poorly trained medical attendants, is also a major problem.
  • (10) Because of the small number of patients reported in the world literature and lack of controlled studies, the treatment of small cell carcinoma of the larynx remains controversial; this retrospective analysis suggests that combination chemotherapy plus radiation offers the best chance for cure.
  • (11) I would immediately look askance at anyone who lacks the last and possesses the first.
  • (12) The detection of these antibodies is difficult owing to the lack of standardization and of specificity of the laboratory tests.
  • (13) Core enzyme, lacking omega subunit, catalyzed this reaction at a rate less than 1% that of holoenzyme.
  • (14) But not only did it post a larger loss than expected, Amazon also projected 7% to 18% revenue growth over the busiest shopping period of the year, a far cry from the 20%-plus pace that had convinced investors to overlook its persistent lack of profit in the past.
  • (15) Urine specimens from patient REE also contained a light chain fragment that lacked the first (amino-terminal) 85 residues of the native light chain but otherwise was identical in sequence to the light chain REE.
  • (16) Thus the failure to raise anti-Id with internal image characteristics may provide an explanation for the lack of anti-gp120 activity reported in anti-Id antisera raised to multiple anti-CD4 antibodies.
  • (17) His walkout reportedly meant his fellow foreign affairs select committee members could not vote since they lacked a quorum.
  • (18) In South Africa, health risks associated with exposure to toxic waste sites need to be viewed in the context of current community health concerns, competing causes of disease and ill-health, and the relative lack of knowledge about environmental contamination and associated health effects.
  • (19) The functional capacity to present antigens to T cells was lacking in normal resting B cells, but was acquired following LK treatment.
  • (20) These findings indicate an association between HLA-B7 and ankylosing spondylitis in American blacks and suggest that these patients who lack B27 but possess B7 represent a subgroup of patients with this disease.

Shortcoming


Definition:

  • (n.) The act of falling, or coming short
  • (n.) The failure of a crop, or the like.
  • (n.) Neglect of, or failure in, performance of duty.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) This paper provides an overview of the theory, indicating its contributions--such as a basis for individual psychotherapy of severe disorders and a more effective understanding of countertransference--and its shortcomings--such as lack of an explanation for the effects of physical and cognitive factors on object relatedness.
  • (2) The author describes changes in the activities of the psychiatric institutions, analyzes the causes of the changes and shortcomings in the work of the in- and outpatient services.
  • (3) Attention is drawn to the shortcomings in our current knowledge of the scale of turnover of the sulphur cycle and of our understanding of the microorganisms involved in specialized environments.
  • (4) False-positive results due to methodological shortcomings can be avoided by applying both methods in succession.
  • (5) This validity coefficient turned out to be so high (r = 0.967) that it does not seem necessary to adopt a more sophisticated method, despite a few demonstrable shortcomings of the one in use.
  • (6) Diagnostic information derived from PA catheters should be related to the clinical condition and shortcomings and pitfalls of data clearly understood.
  • (7) The reasons for the shortcomings of the DRG system in predicting utilization of services are discussed, and areas for future research are suggested.
  • (8) A system of ordering the relative toxicity of these (and other) drugs is proffered using the exposure-case fatality rate (ECFR) as a crude measure of clinical toxicity (while delineating its shortcomings).
  • (9) The crash exposed shortcomings in standards in regulators almost as bad as in banks.” The Treasury denied it was involved in the review being dropped, although it has been involved in changing some of the tougher rules being used to clamp down on bankers.
  • (10) Saxo Bank said: "This highlights one of the shortcomings of the status quo in the European periphery: that Portugal (and other peripheral countries) exiting the programmes at this stage appears rather premature.
  • (11) Dean's system, however, has several shortcomings, principally its inability to measure fluorosis in different tooth surfaces.
  • (12) The shortcomings of existing statistical software for personal computers and trends of their improvements are analyzed.
  • (13) At the same time, application of DNA rearrangement to the evaluation of tissue specimens also has certain shortcomings and limitations, some of which may be overcome by current research methods or advances expected in the near future.
  • (14) Mohammed Siddique, a 60-year-old imam, and his 24-year-old son, Mohammed Waqar, punished the boy for perceived shortcomings during religious lessons at the Sparkbrook Islamic centre, attached to the Jamia mosque, in Birmingham.
  • (15) Existing bedside emergency resuscitation carts all have certain shortcomings, which interfere with the rapid, efficient care of the hospitalized patient in a catastrophic episode.
  • (16) The nature and shortcomings of relevant studies are described, the need for scientifically based research championed, and a differential approach to directive treatment of borderline children advocated.
  • (17) David Bennett, A&L's group chief executive, said: "I apologise sincerely for our shortcomings.
  • (18) He is undaunted by their scale, and realistic about their shortcomings.
  • (19) Jeb Bush should stop trying to defend his brother and focus on his own shortcomings and how to fix them,” he tweeted .
  • (20) After expressing frustration with Stoke City's style of play, the dreadful standard of the game and the lack of width available on a pitch narrowed to exploit Rory Delap's throw-ins, Tony Mowbray finally realised that a sixth defeat in seven matches might also owe something to West Bromwich Albion's shortcomings.