A-brĭd'g'ment, n.
n. 1. That which abridges or cuts short. [Obs.] “Look where my abridgment comes” [i. e., that which cuts short my speech]. Shak.
Sense 2. That which diminishes; a reduction or deprivation; as, an abridgment of expenses, an abridgment of pleasures.
Sense 3. An epitome or compend of a book; as, an abridgment of some history.
Sense 4. A dramatic performance which crowds the events of years into a few hours.
What abridgment have you for this evening? What mask? What music? Shak.
Synonyms— ABRIDGMENT, COMPENDIUM, EPITOME, ABSTRACT, SYNOPSIS. An abridgment is made by omitting the less important parts of some larger work; as, an abridgment of a dictionary. A compendium is a brief exhibition of a subject, or science, for common use; as, a Compendium of American Literature. An epitome corresponds to a compendium, and gives briefly the most material points of a subject; as, an epitome of history. An abstract is a brief statement of a thing in its main points. A synopsis is a bird's-eye view of a subject, or work, in its several parts.