Abridge
/əˈbrɪdʒ/
verbB2
Definition
Abridge means to shorten a book, article, speech, or other text by cutting out parts that are less important. The goal is to keep the main ideas and important information but make it shorter and easier to read or listen to.
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See It in Action
To shorten a text, book, or speech by removing parts
- •The editor abridged the novel to make it easier for young readers.
- •The teacher asked us to read the abridged version of the play.
- •The speech was abridged to fit into the short time slot.
To reduce or limit something, like rights or time (less common)
- •Some laws abridge the freedom of speech.
- •The new rules abridge the time allowed for breaks.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abridge" like "shorten" (A1 word), but more careful because you keep the main meaning while cutting parts out.
- ✓Picture a long story being cut down like trimming a big tree branch to keep only the strong parts.
- ✓It's the feeling when you tell a friend a long story but only say the most important parts so they understand quickly.
- ✓Sounds like "a-bridge" → imagine building a small bridge that connects two places quickly, making the trip shorter.
- ✓Think of movie versions that are shorter than the book—those movies are abridged versions of the story.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (which can be rough and lose meaning)—abridge is careful cutting to keep the important ideas.
- ✓NOT like "summarize" (which tells the main points in your own words)—abridge keeps the original words but shorter.
- ✓NOT like "edit" (which can add or change)—abridge mainly removes parts to make shorter.
Try Other Words
- •Shorten: make something less long (Use when the focus is on length only, not careful keeping of meaning)
- •Condense: make something shorter by making it more compact (Use when making ideas tighter and shorter)
- •Cut: remove parts (Use when parts are removed but meaning may be lost or changed)
- •Edit: change or correct a text (Use when changing or improving, not just shortening)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "a-" (to, or towards) + root "bridge" (like a connection or link) — here meaning to bring closer or make shorter by connecting parts
- •Etymology: From Old French "abréger," from Latin "abbreviare," meaning to shorten
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century in English to mean making something shorter, especially writing or speech
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in literature, publishing, and speech contexts to describe making shorter versions without losing main ideas
Reflect & Connect
•How do you decide which parts to remove when you abridge a text or story?
•Can abridging change the meaning or feeling of the original work? When might that be a problem?
Fill in the blanks
1.When you abridge a book, you ___ the length but keep the ___ meaning.
2.The teacher asked for an abridged version so students could ___ the story ___.
3.Unlike "cut," abridge means to remove parts ___ losing the main ideas.
4.The speech was abridged ___ to fit the time ___.
5.If a law abridges rights, it ___ or ___ them in some way.
6.We often abridge long stories to make them ___ and ___ for listeners.
7.To abridge a text successfully, you must understand which parts are ___ and which can be left out.