Ab*bre"vi*ate (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Abbreviated (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Abbreviating.] [L. abbreviatus, p. p. of abbreviare;
ad + breviare to shorten, fr. brevis short. See
Abridge.] 1. To make briefer; to shorten; to
abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written
or spoken.
It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another
by cutting off.
Bacon.
2. (Math.) To reduce to lower terms, as a
fraction.
Ab*bre"vi*ate (&?;), a. [L.
abbreviatus, p. p.] 1. Abbreviated; abridged;
shortened. [R.] "The abbreviate form." Earle.
2. (Biol.) Having one part relatively
shorter than another or than the ordinary type.
Ab*bre"vi*ate, n. An abridgment.
[Obs.] Elyot.
