Ab·bre·vi·ate v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abbreviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Abbreviating.]
1. To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written or spoken.
It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. --Bacon.
2. Math. To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.