ab·bre·vi·ate /əˈbrivɪˌet/ 動詞
  縮寫, 使…簡略, 縮短
  abbreviate
  簡寫; 縮寫
  Ab·bre·vi·ate v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abbreviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Abbreviating.]
  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.
  1. Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [R.] “The abbreviate form.”
  2. Biol. Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.
  Ab·bre·vi·ate, n. An abridgment. [Obs.]
  ◄ ►
  abbreviate
       v 1: shorten; "Abbreviate `New York' and write `NY'"
       2: reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The
          manuscript must be shortened" [syn: abridge, foreshorten,
           shorten, cut, contract, reduce] [ant: elaborate]