DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 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.