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 aarchaic : 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