1. (v.) To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.

2. (v.) 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.

3. (v.) To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.

4. (v.) To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.

5. (v. i.) To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.

abate abbreviate abrade abridge abstract bate be telegraphic bob bobtail boil down brief capsule capsulize circumscribe clip coarct compact compress concentrate condense consolidate constrict constringe contract cramp crop curtail cut cut back cut down cut off short cut short damp dampen decrease deduct deflate depreciate depress derogate detract digest diminish disparage dock downgrade drain draw draw in draw together eat away elide epitomize erode excerpt extract file away foreshorten hem impair knit leach lessen lower minify minimize mow narrow nip nutshell outline pare poll pollard prune pucker pucker up purify purse reap recap recapitulate reduce refine remove retrench roll back rub away scale down shave shear shrink simplify sketch sketch out slash snub solidify step down strangle strangulate stunt subduct subtract sum up summarize synopsize take away take from take in telescope thin thin out trim truncate tune down waste no words wear away weed withdraw wrinkle