Webster's English Dictionary

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abbreviate

Cross references:
  1. shorten               
 
ab.bre.vi.ate \*-'bre--ve--.a-t\ \-.a-t-*r\ vt [ME abbreviaten, fr. LL 
   abbreviatus, pp. of abbreviare - mo]re at ABRIDGE : to make briefer : 
   SHORTEN; specif : to reduce (as a wor d or phrase) to a shorter form 
   intended to stand for the whole - ab.bre.vi.a.tor n