shortening The reduction in length of a line as a result of strain, e.g. by thickening, folding, thrusting, or the loss of material by solution. Simple shortening may be calculated using the same equation as for extension (e): e = (L_F−L_O)/L_O, where L_F is the final length and L_O the original length; if e has a negative value when calculated from this equation, the line has been shortened.

short·en·ing / ˈshôrtning; ˈshôrtn-ing/ • n. butter or other fat used for making pastry or bread.

shortening Soft fats that produce a crisp, flaky effect in baked products. Lard possesses the correct properties to a greater extent than any other single fat. Shortenings compounded from mixtures of fats or prepared by hydrogenation are still called lard compounds or lard substitutes.

Unlike oils, shortenings are plastic and disperse as a film through the batter and prevent the formation of a hard, tough mass.