shorten : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: shorten	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for shorten
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
shorten v make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness" Antonym(s): lengthen reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened" Synonym(s): abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract, reduce Antonym(s): dilate, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate, exposit, expound, flesh out, lucubrate make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches" become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten" Antonym(s): lengthen edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel" Synonym(s): bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate, shorten
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Shorten \Short"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shortened [?]}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shortening}.] [See {Short}, a.] 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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Shorten \Short"en\, v. i. To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]:
Shorten A form of {lossless} {audio} {compression}. [Details?] (2001-12-17)