ab|bre|vi|ate

ab|bre|vi|ate
ab|bre|vi|ate «uh BREE vee ayt», verb, -at|ed, -at|ing.
–v.t.
1. to make shorter; shorten (a word or phrase) so that a part stands for the whole: »

We can abbreviate “inch” to “in.” “Acre” is abbreviated to “a.” by omission, “hour” to “hr.” by contraction, and “pound” (Latin, “libra”) to “lb.” by substitution.

 SYNONYM(S): See syn. under shorten. (Cf. ↑shorten)
2. to make briefer: »

to abbreviate a long speech.

SYNONYM(S): condense, compress, reduce.
–v.i.
to use abbreviation or abbreviations: »

She abbreviated so much that it was hard to understand her letters.

╂[< Late Latin abbreviāre (with English -ate1) < Latin ad- to + brevis short. See etym. of doublet abridge. (Cf. ↑abridge)]
–ab|bre´vi|a´tor, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ab·bre·vi·ate — …   Useful english dictionary

  • ate — ab·bre·vi·ate; ac·cel·er·ate; acra·ni·ate; ac·u·ate; acu·le·ate; ac·yl·ate; adul·ter·ate; af·fec·tion·ate; af·fil·i·ate; ag·ate; ag·glom·er·ate; al·kyl·ate; al·lit·er·ate; am·mo·ni·ate; ap·pro·pri·ate; ar·che·go·ni·ate; as·cid·i·ate; as·per·ate;… …   English syllables

  • bre — ab·bre·vi·a·tion; ab·bre·vi·a·tor; ab·bre·vi·a·ture; bre·ba; bre·chi·tes; bre·di; bre·guet; bre·hon; bre·lan; bre·loque; bre·men; bre·mer·ha·ven; bre·mia; bre·scia; bre·scian; bre·telle; bre·tes·sé; bre·ther; bre·tonne; bre·via·ry; bre·vier;… …   English syllables

  • ab|bre´vi|a´tor — ab|bre|vi|ate «uh BREE vee ayt», verb, at|ed, at|ing. –v.t. 1. to make shorter; shorten (a word or phrase) so that a part stands for the whole: »We can abbreviate “inch” to “in.” “Acre” is abbreviated to “a.” by omission, “hour” to “hr.” by… …   Useful english dictionary

  • like the cat that ate the canary — see ↑cat • • • Main Entry: ↑canary * * * like a cat that s got the ˈcream f8 idiom (BrE) (US like the cat that got/at …   Useful english dictionary

  • abbreviate — ab·bre·vi·ate …   English syllables

  • vi — ab·bre·vi·a·tion; ab·bre·vi·a·tor; ab·bre·vi·a·ture; ab·sol·vi·tor; al·le·vi·ant; al·le·vi·ate; al·le·vi·a·tion; al·le·vi·a·tive; al·le·vi·a·tor; al·lu·vi·ate; al·lu·vi·a·tion; al·lu·vi·on; al·lu·vi·ous; al·lu·vi·um; an·ti·vi·rot·ic;… …   English syllables

  • ab — ab; ab·a·ca; ab·a·cis·cus; ab·a·cist; ab·ac·ti·nal; ab·ac·tor; ab·a·cus; ab·alien·ate; ab·alien·ation; ab·a·lo·ne; ab·am·pere; ab·ar·thro·sis; ab·a·tis; ab·a·tised; ab·at·toir; ab·ax·i·al; ab·ba·cy; ab·bad·id; ab·ba·si; ab·bas·id; ab·ba·tial;… …   English syllables

  • hiccup — (also hiccough) noun 1 sound made in the throat ADJECTIVE ▪ small ▪ loud VERB + HICCUP ▪ give, let out ▪ She gave a l …   Collocations dictionary

  • abbreviate — ab•bre•vi•ate [[t]əˈbri viˌeɪt[/t]] v. at•ed, at•ing 1) to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent the whole word or phrase 2) to reduce in length, duration, etc.; …   From formal English to slang

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