abridgment (abrijment)

[ Persons employed in the mechanic arts are those whom the abridgment of commerce would immediately affect. A. Hamilton , Works, II. 15. It was his sin and folly which brought him under that abridgment. South . 2. A condensation, as of a book; a reduction within a smaller space; a reproduction of any A genuine abridgment is a reproduction of the matter thing in reduced or condensed form. or substance of a larger work in a condensed form, and in language which is not a mere transcript of that of the original. Drone , Copyright, p. 158. Here lies David Garrick, describe him who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man. Goldsmith, Retaliation. 3. That which abridges or cuts short. [Rare.] Look, where my abridgments come [namely, the players who cut me short in my speech. Compare, however, meaning 4]. Shak ., Hamlet, ii. 2. 4. That which shortens anything, as time, or makes it appear short; hence, a pastime. [Rare.] Say, what abridgment have you for this evening? What mask, what music? Also spelled abridgement. Shak., M. N. D., v. 1. = Syn. 2. Abridgment, Compendium, Epitome, Abstract, Conspectus, Synopsis, Summary, Syllabus, Brief, Digest. An abridgment is a work shortened by condensation of statement, or by omitting the le e ential parts. A com pendium, or compend, is a concise but comprehensive view of a subject; in general it does not imply, as abridgment does, the existence of a larger or previous work. An epitome contains only the most important points of a work or subject, expre ed in the smallest compa . An abstract is a bare statement or outline of facts, heads, or leading features in a book, lecture, subject, etc. Conspectus and synopsis are, literally, condensed views-the substance of any matter só arranged as to be taken in at a glance; synopsis implies orderly arrangement under heads and particulars. A summary is a brief statement of the main points in a work or treatise, le methodical than an ab stract or a synopsis; it may be a recapitulation. A sulla bus is commonly a synopsis printed convenience of those hearing lectures; but the term is also applied to certain papal documents. (See syllabus.) Brief is generally confined to its technical legal meanings. (See brief.) A digest is a methodical arrangement the material of a subject, as under heads or titles; it may include the whole of the matter concerned: as, a digest of laws, There may be an an abridgment of a dictionary, a compend or compendium of literature, an epitome of a political situation, an abstract of a sermon, a conspectus or synopsis of a book, a summary of the arguments in a debate, a digest of opinions on some moot point.