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Webster 1913 Edition


Shorten

Short′en

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Shortened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Shortening
.]
[See
Short
,
Adj.
]
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.

Short′en

,
Verb.
I.
To become short or shorter;
as, the day
shortens
in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod
shortens
by cold.

Webster 1828 Edition


Shorten

SHORTEN

,
Verb.
T.
short'n.
1. To make short in measure, extent or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
2. To abridge; to lessen; as, to shorten labor or work.
3. To curtail; as, to shorten the hair by clipping.
4. To cintract; to lessen; to diminish in extent or amount; as, to shorten sail; to shorten an allowance of provisions.
5. To confine; to restrain.
Here where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain. Dryden.
6. To lop; to deprive.
The youth-shortened of his ears. Dryden.

SHORTEN

,
Verb.
I.
short'n.
1. To become short or shorter. The day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December.
2. To contract; as, a cord shortens by being wet; a metallic rod shortens by cold.

Definition 2024


shorten

shorten

English

Verb

shorten (third-person singular simple present shortens, present participle shortening, simple past and past participle shortened)

  1. (transitive) To make shorter; to abbreviate.
    • 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 22
      York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself, one hole I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, and that day we had a steep hill to go up.
  2. (intransitive) To become shorter.
  3. (transitive) To make deficient (as to); to deprive (of).
    • Dryden
      Spoiled of his nose, and shortened of his ears.
  4. (transitive) To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, etc.
  5. (transitive) To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen.
    to shorten an allowance of food
    • Dryden
      Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain.
  6. (nautical, transitive) To take in the slack of (a rope).
  7. (nautical, transitive) To reduce (sail) by taking it in.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:shorten.

Antonyms

Translations

Anagrams