Main Entry: abridge

Pronunciation: \ə-ˈbrij\

Function: transitive verb

Inflected Form(s): abridged; abridg·ing

Etymology: Middle English abregen, from Anglo-French abreger, from Late Latin abbreviare, from Latin ad- + brevis short — more at brief

Date: 14th century

1 a archaic : deprive b : to reduce in scope : diminish <attempts to abridge the right of free speech>
2 : to shorten in duration or extent <modern transportation that abridges distance>
3 : to shorten by omission of words without sacrifice of sense : condense

synonyms see shorten

— abridg·er noun