Abbreviate
to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent the whole word or phrase, as ft. for foot, ab. for about, R.I. for Rhode Island, NW for Northwest, or Xn for Christian.
to reduce (anything) in length, duration, etc.; make briefer:
to abbreviate a speech.
to use .
Contemporary Examples
And it’s easier to delay something than to make something happen, so things tended to elongate rather than abbreviate.
Donald Rumsfeld on What Went Right John Barry February 7, 2011
Historical Examples
But he has described the affair so well himself that it would be useless to try to abbreviate it.
The True Benjamin Franklin Sydney George Fisher
“Well, abbreviate ‘community,’ that’s the longest word,” suggested Dick.
Marjorie’s Busy Days Carolyn Wells
Here he omits a whole sentence, and begins to abbreviate the story and alter it to suit himself.
Chaucer’s Works, Volume 5 (of 7) — Notes to the Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer
It is common, however, to abbreviate them in a manner peculiarly Malay.
A Manual of the Malay language William Edward Maxwell
abbreviate, and abridge; abbreviation is the shortening of a piece of writing no matter how accomplished.
Word Study and English Grammar Frederick W. Hamilton
Page 289: “Ben: Perley Poore” did abbreviate his first name with a colon.
Abraham Lincoln William Eleroy Curtis
Nothing can be added to it, and it would be impossible to abbreviate it.
The True Benjamin Franklin Sydney George Fisher
She thought his name long, but had not yet decided how to abbreviate it.
To Leeward F. Marion Crawford
It is to the interest of all who do not take a sex-party view of citizenship to abbreviate this struggle.
Race Improvement : or, Eugenics : a Little Book on a Great Subject La Reine Helen Baker
verb (transitive)
to shorten (a word or phrase) by contraction or omission of some letters or words
to shorten (a speech or piece of writing) by omitting sections, paraphrasing, etc
to cut short
v.
mid-15c., from Latin abbreviatus, past participle of abbreviare “to shorten” (see abbreviation). Also sometimes 15c. abbrevy, from Middle French abrevier (14c.), from Latin abbreviare. Related: Abbreviated; abbreviating.
Read Also:
- Abbreviated
shortened; made briefer: The rain led to an abbreviated picnic. (of clothing) scanty; barely covering the body: an abbreviated bathing suit. constituting a shorter or smaller version of: The large car was an abbreviated limousine. to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent […]
- Abbreviated dialing
noun a telephone service which allows storing frequently called numbers in a list with assigned codes, for quick and easy telephoning; also called speed dialing Examples Use abbreviated dialing for local ten-digit dialing or to store any number up to 20 digits.
- Abbreviated piece of nothing
abbreviated piece of nothing noun A worthless or insignificant person or thing: Her unemployed neighbor is an abbreviated piece of nothing
- Abbreviation
a shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole, as Dr. for Doctor, U.S. for United States, lb. for pound. an act of abbreviating; state or result of being abbreviated; reduction in length, duration, etc.; abridgment; summary: His abbreviation of his famous monograph, an enormous endeavor in itself, made […]
- Abbreviations
a shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase, used to represent the whole, as Dr. for Doctor, U.S. for United States, lb. for pound. an act of abbreviating; state or result of being abbreviated; reduction in length, duration, etc.; abridgment; summary: His abbreviation of his famous monograph, an enormous endeavor in itself, made […]