shorten /ˈʃɔːtən/ TEM4 ( shortening, shortened, shortens )

• 1. 

  V-T/V-I If you shorten an event or the length of time that something lasts, or if it shortens, it does not last as long as it would otherwise do or as it used to do. 缩短

  例：

  Smoking can shorten your life.

  吸烟会缩短你的寿命。

  例：

  The trading day is shortened in observance of the Labour Day holiday.

  交易日为了庆祝劳动节而缩短。

• 2. 

  V-T/V-I If you shorten an object or if it shortens, it becomes smaller in length. 使变短; 变短

  例：

  Her father paid $5,000 for an operation to shorten her nose.

  她父亲为一个缩短她的鼻子的手术花了$5000。

• 3. 

  V-T If you shorten a name or other word, you change it by removing some of the letters. 缩写

  例：

  Originally called Lili, she eventually shortened her name to Lee.

  她原本叫莉莉，最后她把名字缩写成了莉。