Shorten

Pronunciation: /ˈʃɔːrtən/

Definitions of shorten

verb to make or become shorter in length or duration

Example Sentences

A1 I need to shorten my skirt because it's too long.

A2 Can you please shorten this rope for me?

B1 The meeting was shortened due to time constraints.

B2 She decided to shorten her vacation so she could return to work early.

C1 The professor asked the students to shorten their essays to meet the word limit.

C2 In order to fit more content into the presentation, the speaker had to shorten each section.

Examples of shorten in a Sentence

formal We must find a way to shorten the time it takes to complete this project.

informal Can you please shorten this email before sending it out?

slang Let's try to shorten the meeting so we can all go home early.

figurative Sometimes, hardships can help to shorten the distance between two people.

Grammatical Forms of shorten

• past tense: shortened
• plural: shorten
• comparative: shorter
• superlative: shortest
• present tense: shorten
• future tense: will shorten
• perfect tense: have shortened
• continuous tense: is shortening
• singular: shortens
• positive degree: short
• infinitive: to shorten
• gerund: shortening
• participle: shortening

Origin and Evolution of shorten

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'shorten' originated from the Old English word 'sceortian' which means to make short or become short.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'shorten' has retained its original meaning of reducing the length or duration of something, but has also come to be used more broadly in various contexts such as in technology, communication, and finance.