Select the option that can be used as a one-word substitute for the given group of words. To reduce to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole
Abbreviate
Understanding One-Word Substitutions for Shortening Words
The question asks us to find a single word that means "To reduce to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole." This is a common type of vocabulary question focusing on finding a concise term that captures the meaning of a longer phrase or definition. Let's examine the given options to see which one best fits this description.
Analyzing the Options
We will look at each option and its meaning to determine if it matches the definition provided in the question.
- Protract: To protract means to prolong or extend something, usually in time. For example, to protract negotiations means to make them last longer. This is the opposite of reducing to a shorter form.
- Abbreviate: To abbreviate means to shorten a word, phrase, or text. The shortened form, called an abbreviation, stands for the original, longer form. For example, "Dr." is an abbreviation for "Doctor", and "USA" is an abbreviation for "United States of America". This fits the given definition perfectly.
- Extend: To extend means to make something longer or larger, either in space or time. This is the opposite of reducing something to a shorter form.
- Shrink: To shrink means to become smaller in size, volume, or amount. While it involves reduction, "shrink" typically refers to physical size reduction (like clothes shrinking in the wash) rather than reducing a word or phrase to a shorter form that stands for the whole. "Abbreviate" is the specific term used for shortening linguistic units.
Identifying the Correct One-Word Substitute
Based on the analysis, the word that precisely means "To reduce to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole" is Abbreviate.
Therefore, the correct option is Abbreviate.
| Word | Meaning | Fits Definition? |
|---|---|---|
| Protract | Lengthen in time | No |
| Abbreviate | Shorten (word, phrase) to stand for the whole | Yes |
| Extend | Make longer or larger | No |
| Shrink | Become smaller in size | No |
Revision Table: Key Vocabulary
Here's a quick review of the words discussed:
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviate | To shorten (a word, phrase, or text) | Abbreviate "Mister" to "Mr." |
| Protract | To prolong (something, typically a period of time) | Protract the meeting |
| Extend | To make something longer or larger | Extend the deadline |
| Shrink | To become or make smaller in size or amount | Clothes may shrink in hot water |
Additional Information on Abbreviations
Abbreviations are very common in language to save space and time. They can take various forms:
- Contractions: Shortened by omitting letters from the middle (e.g., aren't for are not).
- Initialisms: Formed from the first letters of words and pronounced letter by letter (e.g., USA, FBI).
- Acronyms: Formed from the first letters of words but pronounced as a single word (e.g., NASA, NATO).
- Clippings: Shortened by removing the beginning or end of a word (e.g., phone for telephone, ad for advertisement).
Understanding the term abbreviate helps in recognizing these shortened forms which stand for the whole original word or phrase.
Important Questions from Miscellaneous
A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a 20 m high building with a speed of 12 m/s. It hits the ground at a distance R from the building. Taking g = 10 m/s2 and neglecting air resistance will give :
A mass is attached to a spring that hangs vertically. The extension produced in the spring is 6 cm on Earth. The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Moon is one-sixth of its value on the surface of the Earth. The extension of the spring on the Moon would be:
Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words (a), (b), (c), and (d). Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response in your Answer Sheet accordingly.
The deluge affected the population.The major source of vitamins and minerals for vegetarians is
Which of the following statements about the Deccan Riots Commission is/are correct?
1. The Commission did not hold enquiries in the districts which were not affected.
2. The Commission did record the statements of ryots, sahukars and eye-witnesses.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
