v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Abridged p. pr. & vb. n. Abridging. ] [ OE. abregen, OF. abregier, F. abréger, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]
She retired herself to Sebaste, and abridged her train from state to necessity. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense; as, to abridge a history or dictionary. [ 1913 Webster ]
3. To deprive; to cut off; -- followed by of, and formerly by from; as, to abridge one of his rights. [ 1913 Webster ]
adj. 1.1 shortened by condensing or rewriting; -- said of texts: an abridged version [ Narrower terms: half-length ] unabridged, full-length Syn. -- condensed [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]