- to make short or shorter.
- to reduce, decrease, take in, etc.: to shorten sail.
- to make (pastry, bread, etc.) short, as with butter or other fat.
- choke (def. 8).
- to become short or shorter.
- (of odds) to decrease.
- to make or become short or shorter
- to reduce the area of (sail)
- to make (pastry, bread, etc) short, by adding butter or another fat
- to cause (the odds) to lessen or (of odds) to become less
