Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A-BRIDGE', v.t. [abridj'; Fr. abréger, from Gr. βραχυς, short, or its root, from the root of break or a verb of that family.]

1. To make shorter; to epitomize; to contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense in substance-used of writings; as, Justin abridged the history of Trojius Pompeius.
2. To lessen; to diminish; as, to abridge labor; to abridge power or rights. – Smith.
3. To deprive; to cut off from; followed by of; as, to abridge one of his rights, or enjoyments. To abridge from, is now obsolete or improper.
4. In algebra, to reduce a compound quantity or equation to its more simple expression. The equation thus abridged is called a formula.