Overview of noun shortening

The noun shortening has 2 senses

• shortening -- (fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods)


• shortening -- (act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening")

Overview of verb shorten

The verb shorten has 5 senses

• shorten -- (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness")


• abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract, reduce -- (reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened")


• shorten -- (make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches")


• shorten -- (become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten")


• bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate, shorten -- (edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel")