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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Shortening \Short"en*ing\, noun
1. The act of making or becoming short or shorter.
2. (Cookery) That which renders pastry short or friable, as butter, lard, etc.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Shorten \Short"en\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Shortened ?}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shortening}.] [See {Short}, adjective]
1. To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
2. 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.
Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain. --Dryden.
3. To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.
Spoiled of his nose, and shortened of his ears. --Dryden.
4. To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.
{To shorten a rope} (Naut.), to take in the slack of it.
{To shorten sail} (Naut.), to reduce sail by taking it in.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
shortening
noun
1: fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods
2: act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening"
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