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Noun: shortening  shor-t(u)n-ing
  1. Fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods
     
  2. Act of decreasing in length
    "the dress needs shortening"
Verb: shorten  shor-t(u)n
  1. Make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
    "He shortened his trip due to illness"
     
  2. Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
    "The manuscript must be shortened";
    - abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, cut, contract, reduce
     
  3. Make short or shorter
    "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
     
  4. Become short or shorter
    "In winter, the days shorten"
     
  5. Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
    "shorten a novel";
    - bowdlerize, bowdlerise [Brit], expurgate, castrate

Derived forms: shortenings

Type of: alter, bring down, change, cut, cut back, cut down, decrease, diminish, diminution, edible fat, fall, lessen, minify, modify, reduce, reduction, step-down, trim, trim back, trim down

Antonym: lengthen

Encyclopedia: Shortening

Shorten, George