be on short commons

You do not look to me as though this army were on short commons.

An that's likely another reason we've been on short commons.

It sounded as though they'd been on short commons under Broadbridge, both in the article of food and the opportunity for a bit of profit.

They were on short commons.

Given that the crew of the Dido had been on short commons for some time, he would have had to tell Sutton something to get him out looking for deserters.