make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
"He shortened his trip due to illness"
reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
"The manuscript must be shortened"
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
"bowdlerize a novel"
To make shorter; to abbreviate.
"The editor asked me to shorten the article by cutting out unnecessary details so it would fit on the front page."
A surname.
"I met someone named Shorten at the conference who works in logistics."