1. (

• shortening

) fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods ;

2. (

• shortening

) act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening" ;

1. (

• shorten ,

) make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness" ;

2. (

• abridge ,
• foreshorten ,
• abbreviate ,
• shorten ,
• cut ,
• contract ,
• reduce ,

) reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened" ;

3. (

• shorten ,

) make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches" ;

4. (

• shorten

) become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten" ;

5. (

• bowdlerize ,
• bowdlerise ,
• expurgate ,
• castrate ,
• shorten ,

) edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel" ;