Difference between Shorten and Bowdlerise

SHORTEN vs BOWDLERISE: VERB

To reduce in force, efficacy, or intensity.
To take in (a sail) so that less canvas is exposed to the wind, thereby reducing speed.
To become short or shorter.
To make short or shorter.
To add shortening to (dough) so as to make flaky.

To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time
To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract
To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.
To take in the slack of it.
To reduce sail by taking it in.

To become short or shorter; contract; diminish in length: as, ropes shorten when wet.
To make anything short: used with in in the nautical phrase to shorten in on the cable, to heave in short or shorter.
To come short; fail.
To make short or shorter; abridge; curtail: as, to shorten hours of work; to shorten the skirt of a dress.
To make appear short: as, pleasant companionship shortens a journey; a concave mirror shortens the face.
Figuratively, to make inefficient or incapable. Compare short-armed.
To take in; contract; lessen in extent or amount: as, to shorten sail; to shorten an allowance.
To pronounce or measure as short: as, to shorten a vowel or syllable.
To make short or friable, as pastry with butter or lard.
To cause to come short or fail.
To deprive.
To check; confine; restrain.

Interrupt, Lessen, Expedite, Improve, Streamline, Accelerate, Bowdlerize, Bowdlerise, Expurgate, Contract, Abridge, Foreshorten, Cut, Abbreviate, Reduce

Minimize, Reducing, Interrupt, Lessen, Expedite, Improve, Streamline, Accelerate, Expurgate, Contract, Abridge, Foreshorten, Cut, Abbreviate, Reduce

Usually occurs in Real Life as a specific form of Gosh Dang It to Heck and Bowdlerise, especially in performances for all.