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1. Make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
   "He shortened his trip due to illness"
    
2. Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
   "The manuscript must be shortened";
   - abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, cut, contract, reduce
    
3. Make short or shorter
   "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
    
4. Become short or shorter
   "In winter, the days shorten"
    
5. Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
   "shorten a novel";
   - bowdlerize, bowdlerise [Brit], expurgate, castrate

Derived forms: shortening, shortened, shortens

Type of: alter, bring down, change, cut, cut back, cut down, decrease, diminish, fall, lessen, minify, modify, reduce, trim, trim back, trim down

Antonym: lengthen

Encyclopedia: Shorten, George