shortening

n. act of making shorter, act of cutting, abbreviation; solid fat used in baking (i.e. butter, lard, etc.)

v. make shorter, abbreviate, cut, truncate; become shorter; add shortening, add butter or other fat

Shortening is a semisolid fat used in food preparation, especially baked goods, and is so called because it inhibits the formation of long gluten strands in wheat-based doughs, giving them a "short" texture (as in shortbread). The term "shortening" can be used more broadly to apply to any fat that is used for baking and which is solid at room temperature, such as butter, lard, or margarine, but as used in recipes it refers to a hydrogenated vegetable oil that is solid at room temperature. Shortening has a higher smoke point than butter and margarine, and it has 100 at content, compared to 80 or butter and margarine.
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Noun
1. fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods
(hypernym) edible fat
2. act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening"
(hypernym) decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down
(hyponym) abbreviation
(derivation) shorten

Verb
1. make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness"
(antonym) lengthen
(hypernym) reduce, cut down, cut back, trim, trim down, trim back, cut, bring down
(hyponym) foreshorten
(derivation) shortener
2. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened"
(synonym) abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, cut, contract, reduce
(hypernym) decrease, lessen, minify
(hyponym) bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate
(verb-group) edit, cut, edit out
(derivation) shortener
3. make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(hyponym) cut
(derivation) shortener
4. become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten"
(antonym) lengthen
(hypernym) decrease, diminish, lessen, fall
5. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel"
(synonym) bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate
(hypernym) abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, cut, contract, reduce

(p. pr. & vb. n.)
of Shorten
  

(n.)
The act of making or becoming short or shorter.
  

(n.)
That which renders pastry short or friable, as butter, lard, etc.
  

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(2001-12-17)