From the NannyMUD documentation

LAST CHANGE

2001-01-06

FUNCTION

NAME
        set_short - set the short description of an object


LOCATION
	This function exists in very many of the lib objects, basically it is
	used by all objects a player will encounter.

SYNTAX
	void set_short(string short)

DESCRIPTION
	This function sets the short description of the object, which is what
	players usually see when they are passively looking at something.


NOTE
	It is far too common that the lfun set_name() is used in the way the
	lfun set_short() should be used. Note the differemce between a name
	and a description: 'monkey' and 'erebus' are names, while 'the monkey'
	and 'a black knight' are descriptions.


EXAMPLE
	set_short("an ape");
	set_short("a monkey");
	set_short("an ugly demon");


SEE ALSO
        set_long in lfun/basic/set_long
        set_long in std/basic/basic
        set_long in std/room/time_room


SEE ALSO
        long in lfun/basic/long


SEE ALSO
        query_long in lfun/basic/query_long
        query_long in std/room/basic_room
        query_long in std/text/booklet
        query_long in std/text/text


SEE ALSO
        set_name in lfun/basic/set_name
        set_name in obj/quest_obj
        set_name in std/basic/stationary


SEE ALSO
        query_name in lfun/basic/query_name
        query_name in lfun/living/living_functions
        query_name in obj/quest_obj