3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Abridge  \A*bridge"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Abridged};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Abridging}.]  [OE.  abregen  OF  abregier  F. 
  abr['e]ger,  fr  L.  abbreviare  ad  +  brevis  short.  See  {Brief} 
  and  cf  {Abbreviate}.] 
  1.  To  make  shorter;  to  shorten  in  duration;  to  lessen;  to 
  diminish;  to  curtail;  as  to  abridge  labor;  to  abridge 
  power  or  rights.  ``The  bridegroom  .  .  .  abridged  his 
  visit.''  --Smollett. 
 
  She  retired  herself  to  Sebaste  and  abridged  her 
  train  from  state  to  necessity.  --Fuller. 
 
  2.  To  shorten  or  contract  by  using  fewer  words  yet  retaining 
  the  sense  to  epitomize;  to  condense;  as  to  abridge  a 
  history  or  dictionary 
 
  3.  To  deprive;  to  cut  off  --  followed  by  of  and  formerly  by 
  from  as  to  abridge  one  of  his  rights. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  abridge 
  v  :  reduce  in  scope  while  retaining  essential  elements;  "The 
  manuscript  must  be  shortened"  [syn:  {foreshorten},  {abbreviate}, 
  {shorten},  {cut},  {contract},  {reduce}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  ABRIDGE,  v.t.  To  shorten. 
 
  When  in  the  course  of  human  events  it  becomes  necessary  for 
  people  to  abridge  their  king,  a  decent  respect  for  the  opinions  of 
  mankind  requires  that  they  should  declare  the  causes  which  impel 
  them  to  the  separation. 
  Oliver  Cromwell 
 
 

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