What is the meaning of shortening?

noun

• Fat such as butter or lard used in baked goods.
• Act of decreasing in length.
  • usage: "the dress needs shortening"

verb

• Make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration.
  • usage: "He shortened his trip due to illness"
  • synonyms: shorten
• Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements.
  • usage: "The manuscript must be shortened"
  • synonyms: abridge, foreshorten, abbreviate, shorten, cut, contract, reduce
• Make short or shorter.
  • usage: "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
  • synonyms: shorten
• Become short or shorter.
  • usage: "In winter, the days shorten"
  • synonyms: shorten
• Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate.
  • usage: "bowdlerize a novel"
  • synonyms: bowdlerize, bowdlerise, expurgate, castrate, shorten