 shorten |
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| 1. | [ verb ] make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration | |
| Examples: | "He shortened his trip due to illness" |
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| Related terms: | lengthen reduce truncate clip syncopate foreshorten | |
| 2. | [ verb ] reduce in scope while retaining essential elements | |
| Synonyms: | foreshorten abridge cut contract reduce abbreviate | |
| Examples: | "The manuscript must be shortened" |
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| Related terms: | elaborate decrease condense bowdlerize cut condensation contraction abridger | |
| 3. | [ verb ] make short or shorter | |
| Examples: | "shorten the skirt" "shorten the rope by a few inches" |
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| Related terms: | change cut shortener | |
| 4. | [ verb ] become short or shorter | |
| Examples: | "In winter, the days shorten" |
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| Related terms: | lengthen decrease | |
| 5. | [ verb ] edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate | |
| Synonyms: | bowdlerise expurgate castrate bowdlerize | |
| Examples: | "bowdlerize a novel" |
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| Related terms: | abridge bowdlerization bowdlerization bowdler bowdlerisation | |
| Similar spelling: |
shortener shortened shortening Sheraton shortness shorthand short_ton shrewdness shirting shire_town Sheridan |
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