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Shortening: meaning, definitions and examples

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shortening

 

[ ˈʃɔːtənɪŋ ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

abbreviation

The act of making something shorter or more concise.

Synonyms

abbreviation, compression, condensation

Examples of usage

  • The shortening of the document saved a lot of time in the meeting.
  • The shortening of the URL made it easier to share online.
Context #2 | Noun

cooking

A type of solid fat used in baking to make pastries flaky.

Synonyms

butter, fat, lard

Examples of usage

  • The recipe calls for a cup of shortening for the pie crust.
  • Butter can be used as a substitute for shortening in some recipes.
Context #3 | Verb

cooking

The process of making a dough or pastry mixture crumbly by rubbing in fat.

Synonyms

combine, crumble, rub in

Examples of usage

  • Shortening the dough before baking will result in a flaky texture.
  • Make sure to properly shorten the pastry mixture for the best results.

Translations

Translations of the word "shortening" in other languages:

🇵🇹 encurtamento

🇮🇳 संक्षिप्तीकरण

🇩🇪 Verkürzung

🇮🇩 pemendekan

🇺🇦 скорочення

🇵🇱 skrócenie

🇯🇵 短縮

🇫🇷 raccourcissement

🇪🇸 acortamiento

🇹🇷 kısaltma

🇰🇷 단축

🇸🇦 اختصار

🇨🇿 zkrácení

🇸🇰 skrátenie

🇨🇳 缩短

🇸🇮 skrajšanje

🇮🇸 stytting

🇰🇿 қысқарту

🇬🇪 შემოკლება

🇦🇿 qısaldılması

🇲🇽 acortamiento

Etymology

The word 'shortening' has its origins in the Middle English word 'shorten', which comes from the Old English word 'sceortian'. The term has been used since the 14th century to refer to the act of making something shorter or more concise. In the context of cooking, 'shortening' first appeared in the early 19th century to describe a type of solid fat used in baking.

See also: short, shortage, shortbread, shortcomings, shortcut, shortcuts, shorten, shortened, shortenings, shortfall, shortly, shortness, shortsighted.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,591, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.