Hypertext Webster Gateway: "abridge"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Abridge \A*bridge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Abridged}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Abridging}.] [OE. abregen, OF. abregier, F.
abr['e]ger, fr. L. abbreviare; ad + brevis short. See {Brief}
and cf. {Abbreviate}.]
1. To make shorter; to shorten in duration; to lessen; to
diminish; to curtail; as, to abridge labor; to abridge
power or rights. ``The bridegroom . . . abridged his
visit.'' --Smollett.
She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her
train from state to necessity. --Fuller.
2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining
the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to abridge a
history or dictionary.
3. To deprive; to cut off; -- followed by of, and formerly by
from; as, to abridge one of his rights.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
abridge
v : reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The
manuscript must be shortened" [syn: {foreshorten}, {abbreviate},
{shorten}, {cut}, {contract}, {reduce}]
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