Shorten
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): ( a.) To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.
(2): ( v. i.) To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.
(3): ( a.) To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
(4): ( a.) To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract; as, to shorten work, an allowance of food, etc.
(5): ( a.) To make deficient (as to); to deprive; - with of.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [2]
shôr´t ' n : The Hebrew word ḳācar and the Greek kolobóō literally indicate abbreviation of time or space ( Psalm 89:45; Proverbs 10:27; Ezekiel 42:5 ); figuratively they point to limitation of power or of suffering ( Numbers 11:23; Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 59:1; Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20 ).
