shortened Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
    shorten.
    • He shortened his trip due to illness
  2. verb reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
    reduce; cut; abbreviate; abridge; shorten; contract; foreshorten.
    • The manuscript must be shortened
  3. verb make short or shorter
    shorten.
    • shorten the skirt
    • shorten the rope by a few inches
  4. verb become short or shorter
    shorten.
    • In winter, the days shorten
  5. verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
    bowdlerise; expurgate; bowdlerize; shorten; castrate.
    • bowdlerize a novel
  6. adjective satellite cut short
    sawed-off; sawn-off.
    • a sawed-off shotgun
    • a sawed-off broomstick
    • the shortened rope was easier to use
  7. adjective satellite cut short in duration
    abbreviated; truncated.
    • the abbreviated speech
    • her shortened life was clearly the result of smoking
    • an unsatisfactory truncated conversation
  8. adjective satellite shortened by or as if by means of parts that slide one within another or are crushed one into another
    telescoped.
    • a miracle that anyone survived in the telescoped cars
    • years that seemed telescoped like time in a dream
  9. adjective satellite with parts removed
    cut.
    • the drastically cut film

WordNet