Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Foreshorten

Fore-short′en

,
Verb.
T.
1.
(Fine Art)
To represent on a plane surface, as if extended in a direction toward the spectator or nearly so; to shorten by drawing in perspective.
2.
Fig.: To represent pictorially to the imagination.
Songs, and deeds, and lives that lie
Foreshortened
in the tract of time.
Tennyson.

Webster 1828 Edition


Foreshorten

FORESHORT'EN

,
Verb.
T.
In painting; to shorten figures for the sake of showing those behind.

Definition 2024


foreshorten

foreshorten

English

Verb

foreshorten (third-person singular simple present foreshortens, present participle foreshortening, simple past and past participle foreshortened)

  1. To render the image of an object such that it appears to be receding in space as it is perceived visually.

Etymology 2

Alteration of for- + shorten (to shorten up).

Alternative forms

Verb

foreshorten (third-person singular simple present foreshortens, present participle foreshortening, simple past and past participle foreshortened)

  1. to abridge, reduce, contract
  2. to make shorter