Thesaurus: shorten

Related headwords

Definitions

1. a. To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
2. a. To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract; as, to shorten work, an allowance of food, etc.
3. a. To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.
4. a. To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.
5. v. i. To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.
6. v. make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
7. v. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
8. v. make short or shorter
9. v. become short or shorter
10. v. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
11. 1. To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity. 2. To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract; as, to shorten work, an allowance of food, etc. Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain. Dryden. 3. To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of. Spoiled of his nose, and shortened of his ears. Dryden. 4. To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like. To shorten a rope (Naut.), to take in the slack of it. -- To shorten sail (Naut.), to reduce sail by taking it in. To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.
12. To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northernlatitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.