Definition of shorten Shorten

/ʃɔˈɹtʌn/ - [shortun] - short•en

We found 14 definitions of shorten from 5 different sources.

What does shorten mean?

WordNet

Verb shortens, shortening, shortened
shorten - make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness"
		lengthen become long or longer; "In Spring, the days lengthen"
		trim back, trim down, cut back, bring down, cut down, trim, reduce, cut return in time; "the film cut back to an earlier event in the story"
		foreshorten shorten lines in a drawing so as to create an illusion of depth
		curtail, cut short, clip interrupt before its natural or planned end; "We had to cut short our vacation"
		syncopate modify the rhythm by stressing or accenting a weak beat
		truncate, cut short make shorter as if by cutting off; "truncate a word"; "Erosion has truncated the ridges of the mountains"
shorten - make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
		modify, alter, change make less severe or harsh or extreme; "please modify this letter to make it more polite"; "he modified his views on same-gender marriage"
		cut grow through the gums; "The new tooth is cutting"
shorten - become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten"
		lengthen become long or longer; "In Spring, the days lengthen"
		decrease, diminish, lessen, fall decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
shorten - edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel"
		bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate
		abbreviate, abridge, foreshorten, shorten, contract, reduce, cut shorten; "Abbreviate `New York' and write `NY'"
shorten - reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened"
		abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, cut, contract, reduce
		expatiate, lucubrate, dilate, exposit, expound, flesh out, elaborate, enlarge, expand become wider; "His pupils were dilated"
		minify, decrease, lessen decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
		bowdlerise, bowdlerize, expurgate, castrate, shorten edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel"
		edit out, edit, cut prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting; "Edit a book on lexical semantics"; "she edited the letters of the politician so as to omit the most personal passages"
		condense, concentrate, digest undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops; "water condenses"; "The acid distills at a specific temperature"

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Wiktionary

shorten (Verb)
To make shorter; to abbreviate.
shorten (Verb)
To become shorter.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

shorten (a.)
To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
shorten (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.
shorten (a.)
To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.
shorten (a.)
To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.
shorten (v. i.)
To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.