different between abbreviate vs clarify

English

Etymology 1

Either from Middle English abbreviaten, from Latin abbrevi?tus, perfect passive participle of abbrevi? (“to shorten”), formed from ad + brevi? (“shorten”), from brevis (“short”) or back-formation from abbreviation. Doublet of abridge.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?.?b?i?.vi.e?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??b?i.vi.e?t/

Verb

abbreviate (third-person singular simple present abbreviates, present participle abbreviating, simple past and past participle abbreviated)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To shorten by omitting parts or details. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century.]
2. (obsolete, intransitive) To speak or write in a brief manner. [Attested from the late 16^th century until the early 17^th century.]
3. (transitive) To make shorter; to shorten (in time); to abridge; to shorten by ending sooner than planned. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).]
4. (transitive) To reduce a word or phrase by means of contraction or omission to a shorter recognizable form. [First attested in the late 16^th century.]
5. (transitive, mathematics) To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.

Synonyms

• abridge
• compress
• condense
• contract
• curtail
• epitomize
• reduce
• shorten

Antonyms

• amplify
• dilate
• elongate
• enlarge
• expand
• expatiate
• extend
• lengthen
• produce
• prolong
• stretch

Related terms

• abbreviation
• abbreviator

Translations

Etymology 2

• From Late Latin abbrevi?tus, perfect passive participle of abbrevi? (“abbreviate”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??b?i.vi.?t/, /??b?i.vi.e?t/

Adjective

abbreviate (comparative more abbreviate, superlative most abbreviate)

1. (obsolete) Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 17^th century]
2. (biology) Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type. [First attested in the mid 19^th century.]

Translations

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??b?i.vi.e?t/

Noun

abbreviate (plural abbreviates)

1. (obsolete) An abridgment. [Mid 16^th century.]

Translations

References

Interlingua

Adjective

abbreviate (comparative plus abbreviate, superlative le plus abbreviate)

1. Being abbreviated.

Italian

Verb

abbreviate

1. second-person plural present of abbreviare
2. second-person plural imperative of abbreviare

Anagrams

• abbeverati

Latin

Verb

abbrevi?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of abbrevi?

Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??bri?v??t/

Noun

abbreviate (plural abbreviates)

1. (law) an abstract, an abridgement

Usage notes

• Used in adjudication and sequestration.

English

Etymology

From French clarifier, from Latin cl?rific?, cl?rific?re; cl?rus (“clear”) + faci?, facere (“make”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?klæ??fa?/

Verb

clarify (third-person singular simple present clarifies, present participle clarifying, simple past and past participle clarified)

1. (of liquids, such as wine or syrup) To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter
2. To make clear or easily understood; to explain in order to remove doubt or obscurity

   Synonyms: explicitize, get something straight

   • To clarify his reason, to rectify his will.

   • 2014, Mario Martinez, The MindBody Code: How to Change the Beliefs that Limit Your Health, Longevity, and Success

     We assimilate cultural interpretations based on the value our cultural editors determine and the level of abundance we are allowed to have without violating tribal horizons. I should clarify that I am not suggesting that we are passive recipients of everything the cultural editors tell us about ourselves.

   • 2015, United States Department of Justice, Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department

     The report does not clarify what investigation the supervisor did, if any, to assess the suspect's allegations, or how he determined that the allegations were false. Supervisors also fail to provide recommendations for how to ensure officer safety and minimize the need for force going forward.

3. (ergative) To grow or become clear or transparent; to become free from feculent impurities, as wine or other liquid under clarification.

4. (ergative) To grow clear or bright; to clear up.
5. (obsolete) To glorify.

Related terms

• clarification

Translations