SHORTEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does shorten mean? 

• SHORTEN (verb)
  The verb SHORTEN has 5 senses:

1. make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration

2. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

3. make short or shorter

4. become short or shorter

5. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

  Familiarity information: SHORTEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SHORTEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they shorten    ... he / she / it shortens   
Past simple: shortened   
Past participle: shortened   
-ing form: shortening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

He shortened his trip due to illness

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

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down (cut down on; make a reduction in)

Cause:

shorten (become short or shorter)

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

foreshorten (shorten lines in a drawing so as to create an illusion of depth)

clip; curtail; cut short (terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent)

syncopate (omit a sound or letter in a word)

cut short; truncate (make shorter as if by cutting off)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

lengthen (make longer)

Derivation:

shortener (any agent that shortens)

Sense 2

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 "shorten" 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 "shorten"):

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

Derivation:

shortener (any agent that shortens)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make short or shorter

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

shorten the rope by a few inches

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

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

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

cut (shorten as if by severing the edges or ends of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They shorten their hair

Derivation:

shortener (any agent that shortens)

shortening (act of decreasing in length)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become short or shorter

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

In winter, the days shorten

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

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Antonym:

lengthen (become long or longer)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

bowdlerise; bowdlerize; castrate; expurgate; shorten

Context example:

bowdlerize a novel

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

abbreviate; abridge; contract; cut; foreshorten; reduce; shorten (reduce in scope while retaining essential elements)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They won't shorten the story

 Context examples 

A permanent tightening of the muscles, tendons, skin, and nearby tissues that causes the joints to shorten and become very stiff.

(Contracture, NCI Dictionary)

Inhibition of telomerase activity in tumor cells by imetelstat results in telomere shortening, which leads to cell cycle arrest or apoptosis.

(Imetelstat, NCI Thesaurus)

A shortened form of a word or phrase.

(Abbreviation, NCI Thesaurus)

Although dwarf mice with defective growth hormone or IGF-1 signaling also have significantly increased lifespan, humans with defects in growth hormone signaling tend to develop diseases that shorten their lifespan.

(Longevity Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Although the team expected that shortening the medication time would decrease the potential for antibacterial resistance, there was no significant difference in levels of resistant bacteria between the treatment groups.

(No benefit to shortening ear infection treatment, NIH)

Eliminating or increasing Cdk5 activity beyond normal levels shortened the lives of the flies to about 30 days.

(NIH scientists search for the clocks behind aging brain disorders, National Institutes of Health)

Orbiting at the edge of the habitable zone of a quiet M-class star, instead of our Sun, could shorten the habitable period for the planet by a factor of about 5 to 20.

(Mars Mission Sheds Light on Habitability of Distant Planets, NASA)

Elizabeth had hoped that his resentment might shorten his visit, but his plan did not appear in the least affected by it.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

This allowed the force-generating machinery inside the cells to shorten further and faster.

(Microtubules’ role in heart cell contraction revealed, NIH)

Decrease in parenchymal cell number and/or size, often associated with shortening of villi (SI) and/or glands (LI)

(Mucosal Atrophy of the Mouse Intestinal Tract, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)