abbreviate

• Meaning  -  shorten

• Synonyms -  shorten, abridge, curtail , truncate.

• Antonyms -  expand, extend, increase, lengthen

• Usage -  Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.

• Remember -  abbreviate has root brev (brief) in it; brev (brief) means in short. hence meaning of abbreviate is to shorten something.