accorciare

to shorten

verb ahk-kor-CHAH-reh Rare

Usage Note

Accorciare is used for physically shortening objects (accorciare un vestito = to take up a dress) as well as figuratively shortening distances or times (accorciare i tempi = to speed things up). It takes avere as its auxiliary. The reflexive accorciarsi means to become shorter or to draw closer. The opposite is allungare (to lengthen).

Examples

"Il sarto ha accorciato i pantaloni di tre centimetri."

Natural Translation

The tailor shortened the trousers by three centimetres.

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