Difference between Shorten and Lessen

SHORTEN vs LESSEN: VERB

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

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 make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time

To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade

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

To become less; contract in bulk, quantity, number, or amount; decrease; diminish; shrink.
To come to appear less from increase of distance.
To make less; diminish; reduce in number, size, degree, or quality.
To degrade; reduce in dignity; depreciate; disparage.
To cause to appear less from increase of distance; specifically, in falconry, to soar above or beyond.
Make become smaller

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

Curtail, Ease, Soften, Ameliorate, Reducing, Relieve, Alleviate, Mitigate, Reduce, Minimize, Minify, Fall, Subside, Decrease, Diminish

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

Attenuate, Dampen, Curb, Curtail, Ease, Soften, Ameliorate, Reducing, Relieve, Mitigate, Reduce, Minimize, Fall, Decrease, Diminish

It will only lessen their opinion of you.
This will lessen the impact on their employment.
Lessen, reduce, decrease, abate, subside, shorten, dwarf, retrench.
Fairbanks ISDs, provide monetary rewards to lessen absenteeism.
CSL testing which could lessen the shaft capacity.
Wad how can we overcome or lessen them?
Solar energy can always help lessen electricity costs.
This may lessen the tediousness of long trip.
Vooral als je al jaren dezelfde lessen geeft.
These medicines can lessen or stop hallucinations, help patients distinguish between reality and the imaginary, and lessen feelings of confusion.