shortening
pronunciation
How to pronounce shortening in British English:
UK [ˈʃɔ:tnɪŋ]
How to pronounce shortening in American English:
US [ˈʃɔrtnɪŋ]
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- Noun:
- fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods
- act of decreasing in length
Word Origin
- shortening (n.)
- 1540s, "action of making short," verbal noun from shorten. Meaning "butter or other fat used in baking" (1796) is from shorten in the sense "make crumbly" (1733), from short (adj.) in the secondary sense of "easily crumbled" (early 15c.), which perhaps arose via the notion of "having short fibers." This is the short in shortbread and shortcake.
Example
- 1. The extension utilizes google 's own url shortening service .
- 2. It is also added directly to shortening , cereals , and other foods containing fats and oils .
- 3. Dr. gross said there won 't be any practical consequences from this shortening of our day .
- 4. Shortening has its critics . It can slow down the web .
- 5. Is watching tv shortening our lives ?