Meaning

(obsolete, transitive) To shorten by omitting parts or details..

Definitions by Sense

1. (obsolete, transitive) To shorten by omitting parts or details.
2. (obsolete, intransitive) To speak or write in a brief manner.
3. (transitive) To make shorter; to shorten (in time); to abridge; to shorten by ending sooner than planned.
4. (transitive) To reduce a word or phrase by means of contraction or omission to a shorter recognizable form.
5. (transitive, mathematics) To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.
6. (obsolete, as a participle) Abbreviated.
7. (obsolete, as a participial adjective) Abbreviated, abridged, shortened.
8. (biology) Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.

Example Sentences

But it is one Thing, to Abbreuiate by Contracting, Another by Cutting off: […]

But as delivery schedules have dwindled into hours, even the gigantic warehouse full of stuff in a central place such as the triangle is proving insufficient. Now, companies also need smaller distribution centres around the country, to respond rapidly to orders and to abbreviate the last mile as much as possible.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is more commonly known by its abbreviated form BSE.

Alana abbreviated "involuntarily celibate" to "invcel", until someone suggested that "incel" was easier to say.

The curt form of gent as a less ceremonious substitute for the full expression of ‘gentleman,’ had once made considerable way, but its career was blighted in a court of justice. It is about twenty years ago that two young men, being brought before a London magistrate, described themselves as ‘gents.’ The magistrate said that he considered that a designation little better than ‘blackguard.’ The abbreviate form has never been able to recover that shock.

Word Forms

• abbreviates
• abbreviating
• abbreviated
• more abbreviate
• most abbreviate

Synonyms for abbreviate

Antonyms for abbreviate

Related Words

When Should You Use Abbreviate?

Use abbreviate when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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