Question

Select the word which means the opposite of the given word- Abridge
a- To reduce or lessen in duration
b- Abscind
c- Expand
d- To keep side by side

Answer 1

Hint: An antonym or an opposite is a word that is contrary in meaning to another word. Example- Up is an antonym of down. ‘Abridge’ refers to summarizing or decreasing a piece of writing without changing its meaning.

Complete answer:
The word, ‘abridge’ has been derived from the Late Latin word- Abbreviare, which means to shorten.
We know the meaning and the origin of the word, ‘abridge’. Now, let’s look at its usage:
Example- The company abridged the original comments of the writer. Here, we can conclude that a company, ‘X’ decreased or summarized the original comments of the writer.
Let’s decipher the meaning of the given options-
Option a- ‘To reduce or lessen in duration’ refers to decreasing or shortening something in time. ‘To reduce or lessen in duration’ is similar in meaning to ‘abridge’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option b- ‘Abscind’ refers to the state of getting cut off or severed. ‘Abscind’ is different in meaning to ‘abridge’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
Option c- ‘Expand’ refers to increasing or lengthening something. ‘Expand’ is opposite in meaning to ‘abridge’. Hence, it is the correct option.
Option d- ‘To keep side by side’ refers to keeping something close or near. ‘To keep side by side’ is different in meaning to ‘abridge’. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
So, the correct answer is “Option c”.

Note:
Carefully understand the meaning of the given word and its options, before choosing the most suitable answer. Some commonly used antonyms of ‘abridge’ lengthen, increase, greater, etc.