Spoiled of his nose, and shortened of his ears.
Dryden.
4. To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor,
or the like.
To shorten a rope (Naut.), to take in the slack of it. -- To shorten
sail (Naut.), to reduce sail by taking it in.
Short"en, v. i. To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in
northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by
cold.
Short"en*er (?), n. One who, or that which, shortens.
Short"en*ing, n. 1. The act of making or becoming short or shorter.
2. (Cookery) That which renders pastry short or friable, as butter,
lard, etc.
Short"hand` (?), n. A compendious and rapid method or writing by
substituting characters, abbreviations, or symbols, for letters, words,
etc.; short writing; stenography. See Illust. under Phonography.
Short`-hand"ed, a. Short of, or lacking the regular number of, servants
or helpers.
Short"head` (?), n. A sucking whale less than one year old; -- so
called by sailors.
Short"horn` (?), a. One of a breed of large, heavy domestic cattle
having short horns. The breed was developed in England.
Short"-joint`ed (?), a. Having short intervals between the joints; --
said of a plant or an animal, especially of a horse whose pastern is
too short.
Short"-lived` (?), a. Not living or lasting long; being of short
continuance; as, a short-lived race of beings; short-lived pleasure;
short-lived passion.
Short"ly, adv. [AS. sceortlice.] 1. In a short or brief time or manner;
soon; quickly. Chaucer.