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edeemable by a sportive fine; -- whence the game of forfeits. Country dances and forfeits shortened the rest of the day. Goldsmith.

er motion. -- To heave about (Naut.), to put about suddenly. -- To heave in (Naut.), to shorten (cable). -- To heave in stays (Naut.), to put a vessel on the other tack. -- To heave out a sail (Naut.), to unfurl it. -- To heave taut (Naut.), to turn a capstan, etc., till the rope becomes strained. See Taut, and Ti…

l, arithmetic. Logistic, or Proportional, logarithms, certain logarithmic numbers used to shorten the calculation of the fourth term of a proportion of which one of the terms is a given constant quantity, commonly one hour, while the other terms are expressed in minutes and seconds; -- not now used.…

Kingsley. -- Muscular excitability (Physiol.), that property in virtue of which a muscle shortens, when it is stimulated; irritability. -- Muscular sense (Physiol.), muscular sensibility; the sense by which we obtain knowledge of the condition of our muscles and to what extent they are contracted, also of the positio…

A shortened form of of or on. "At the turning o' the tide." Shak.

A shortened form of Papa.

roportions of ingredients, rate or amount of interest, and the like; commonly used in the shortened form per cent. -- Per diem, by the day. [For other phrases from the Latin, see Quotations, Phrases, etc., from Foreign Languages, in the Supplement.]

A kind of sleeping car; also, a palace car; -- often shortened to Pullman.

To shorten the radius of (a curve); to make (a curve) sharper; as, to quicken the sheer, that is, to make its curve more pronounced.

taking in a reef. Reefing bowsprit, a bowsprit so rigged that it can easily be run in or shortened by sliding inboard, as in cutters.

To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle.

The act of retracting or shortening; as, the retraction of a severed muscle; the retraction of a sinew.

and Sails. Running rigging (Naut.), all those ropes used in bracing the yards, making and shortening sail, etc., such as braces, sheets, halyards, clew lines, and the like. -- Standing rigging (Naut.), the shrouds and stays.

A kind of shortened raised biscuit or bread, often rolled or doubled upon itself.

A brass wind instrument, like a bass trumpet, so contrived that it can be lengthened or shortened according to the tone required; -- said to be the same as the trombone. [Written also sagbut.] Moore (Encyc. of Music).

mall or short; to limit or straiten; to put on short allowance; to scant; to contract; to shorten; as, to scrimp the pattern of a coat.

re it is exceedingly sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight sounds of the proper pitch. -- Sensitive joint vetch (Bot.), an annual leguminous herb (Æschynomene hispida), with sensitive foliage. -- Sensitive paper, paper prepared for photographic purpo…

A hitch by which a rope may be temporarily shortened.

a channel, having a swift current, connecting the ends of a bend in the stream, so as to shorten the course. [Written also chute, and shute.] [U. S.] To take a shoot, to pass through a shoot instead of the main channel; to take the most direct course. [U.S.]

To shorten. [Obs.]