shorten

present singular third person shortens · participle present shortening · participle past shortened · past shortened

1. transitiveTo make shorter; to abbreviate.

   York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself, one hole I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, and that day we had a steep hill to go up.

   [1877], Anna Sewell, “Earlshall”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part II, page 105

   1 more example

   The full title of the unified system, the South Eastern & London, Chatham & Dover Railways, was decidedly cumbersome, and for the sake of convenience was shortened to the South Eastern & Chatham Railway.

   1958 November 28, “The Why and the Wherefore: South Eastern & Chatham Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 809

2. intransitiveTo become shorter.
3. transitiveTo make deficient (as to); to deprive (of).

   Spoiled of his nose, and shorten'd of his ears.

   1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

4. transitiveTo make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, etc.
5. transitiveTo reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen.

   to shorten an allowance of food

   2 more examples

   Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain.

   1699, John Dryden, Dedication to His Grace the Duke of Ormond

   My grandfather, as I said before, was connected with a gang of shorters, and sometimes shortened money, […]

   1858, George Borrow, The Romany Rye, volume 2, page 128

6. transitivebakingTo make crumbly.

   Corn flour makes delicious pie crust, and needs less lard to shorten it.

   1894, Helen M. Laughlin, The Journal of Agriculture Cook Book, Journal of Agriculture Co., page 212

7. transitivenauticalTo take in the slack of (a rope).
8. transitivenauticalTo reduce (sail) by taking it in.
9. datedtransitiveto dress (a baby) in a short (rather than long) gown

   In January Jims was five months old and Rilla celebrated the anniversary by shortening him.

   1921, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Rilla of Ingleside

   1 more example

   Anne and Leslie had another cry the next week when they shortened Little Jem. Anne felt the tragedy of it until evening when in his long nightie she found her own dear baby again.

   1917, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

plural Shortens

1. A surname.