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shorten

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

See also:Shorten

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishshortnen,schortenen, equivalent toshort +‎-en(verbal suffix). In some senses, a continuation (in altered form) ofMiddle Englishschorten(“to make short, shorten”), fromOld Englishsċortian(“to become short”), fromProto-Germanic*skurtōną(“to shorten”).

Pronunciation

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(Received Pronunciation)IPA^(key): /ˈʃɔːtn̩/
(General American)IPA^(key): /ˈʃɔɹtn̩/
Audio(Southern England): (file)
Rhymes:-ɔː(ɹ)tən

Verb

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shorten (third-person singular simple presentshortens,present participleshortening,simple past and past participleshortened)

(transitive) To makeshorter; toabbreviate.
- [1877],Anna Sewell, “Earlshall”, inBlack Beauty: […], London:Jarrold and Sons, […],→OCLC, part II,page105:
  York came round to our heads andshortened 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.
- 1958 November, “The Why and the Wherefore: South Eastern & Chatham Railway”, inRailway Magazine, page809:
  The full title of the unified system, the South Eastern & London, Chatham & Dover Railways, was decidedly cumbersome, and for the sake of convenience wasshortened to the South Eastern & Chatham Railway.
(intransitive) To become shorter.
(transitive) To make deficient (as to); to deprive (of).
- 1697,Virgil, “Aeneis”, inJohn Dryden, transl.,The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […],→OCLC:
  Spoiled of his nose, andshorten'd of his ears.
(transitive) To makeshort orfriable, aspastry, withbutter,lard, etc.
(transitive) Toreduce ordiminish in amount, quantity, or extent; tolessen.
toshorten an allowance of food
- 1699,John Dryden,Dedication to His Grace the Duke of Ormond:
  Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I amshortened by my chain.
- 1858, George Borrow,The Romany Rye, volume 2, page128:
  My grandfather, as I said before, was connected with a gang ofshorters, and sometimesshortened money,[…]
(baking, of pastries, transitive) To makecrumbly.
- 1894, Helen M. Laughlin,The Journal of Agriculture Cook Book, Journal of Agriculture Co., page212:
  Corn flour makes delicious pie crust, and needs less lard toshorten it.
(nautical, transitive) To take in theslack of (a rope).
(nautical, transitive) To reduce (sail) by taking it in.
(transitive, dated) to dress (a baby) in a short (rather than long) gown
- 1917,Lucy Maud Montgomery,Anne's House of Dreams:
  Anne and Leslie had another cry the next week when theyshortened Little Jem. Anne felt the tragedy of it until evening when in his long nightie she found her own dear baby again.
- 1921,Lucy Maud Montgomery,Rilla of Ingleside:
  In January Jims was five months old and Rilla celebrated the anniversary byshortening him.