FORESHORTEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does foreshorten mean? 

• FORESHORTEN (verb)
  The verb FORESHORTEN has 2 senses:

1. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

2. shorten lines in a drawing so as to create an illusion of depth

  Familiarity information: FORESHORTEN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FORESHORTEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they foreshorten    ... he / she / it foreshortens   
Past simple: foreshortened   
Past participle: foreshortened   
-ing form: foreshortening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

abbreviate; abridge; contract; cut; foreshorten; reduce; shorten

Context example:

The manuscript must be shortened

Hypernyms (to "foreshorten" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Verb group:

cut; edit; edit out (cut and assemble the components of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "foreshorten"):

bowdlerise; bowdlerize; castrate; expurgate; shorten (edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate)

concentrate; condense; digest (make more concise)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Shorten lines in a drawing so as to create an illusion of depth

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "foreshorten" is one way to...):

shorten (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something