abridge vs shorten

abridge and shorten both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
abridge	No	No	Yes	No
shorten	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, abridge and shorten are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of abridge include abbreviate, contract, cut, foreshorten, reduce.

As verbs, shorten is a hyponym of abridge; that is, shorten is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than abridge:

Other hyponyms of abridge include bowdlerise, bowdlerize, castrate, expurgate, concentrate, condense, digest.

abridge (verb)	shorten (verb)
reduce in scope while retaining essential elements	become short or shorter
lessen, diminish, or curtail	make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
	reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
	edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
	make short or shorter