ABRIDGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does abridge mean? 

• ABRIDGE (verb)
  The verb ABRIDGE has 2 senses:

1. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

2. lessen, diminish, or curtail

  Familiarity information: ABRIDGE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABRIDGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they abridge    ... he / she / it abridges   
Past simple: abridged   
Past participle: abridged   
-ing form: abridging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

abbreviate; abridge; contract; cut; foreshorten; reduce; shorten

Context example:

The manuscript must be shortened

Hypernyms (to "abridge" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Verb group:

cut; edit; edit out (cut and assemble the components of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "abridge"):

bowdlerise; bowdlerize; castrate; expurgate; shorten (edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate)

concentrate; condense; digest (make more concise)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They won't abridge the story

Derivation:

abridgement (a shortened version of a written work)

abridger (one who shortens or abridges or condenses a written work)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lessen, diminish, or curtail

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the new law might abridge our freedom of expression

Hypernyms (to "abridge" is one way to...):

curb; curtail; cut back; restrict (place restrictions on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Ah! in that case I must abridge.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

— Beyond THAT, had you endeavoured, however reasonably, to abridge HIS enjoyments, is it not to be feared, that instead of prevailing on feelings so selfish to consent to it, you would have lessened your own influence on his heart, and made him regret the connection which had involved him in such difficulties?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)