1. (使)时间变短;缩短(…的时间)
    If you shorten an event or the length of time that something lasts, or if it shortens, it does not last as long as it would otherwise do or as it used to do.

    e.g. Smoking can shorten your life...
           吸烟会缩短你的寿命。
    e.g. The trading day is shortened in observance of the Labor Day holiday...
           因庆祝劳工节，这个交易日交易时间缩短了。

2. 缩短…的长度;(物体)变短
    If you shorten an object or if it shortens, it becomes smaller in length.

    e.g. Her father paid £1,000 for an operation to shorten her nose...
           她父亲花了 1,000 英镑给她做了削鼻手术。
    e.g. As they shorten, cells become more prone to disease and death.
           细胞变小后就会更容易感染疾病，也更容易死亡。

3. 缩写,缩短(名字等)
    If you shorten a name or other word, you change it by removing some of the letters.

    e.g. Originally called Lili, she eventually shortened her name to Lee.
           她原先叫 Lili (莉莉)，最后她把名字略作 Lee (李)。

4. to shorten the odds -> see odds