foreshorten
UK: fɔːˈʃɔːt(ə)n | US: fɔːrˈʃɔːrt(ə)n
vt. 1. To shorten or compress (an object) in a drawing or perspective to create an illusion of depth.
vt. 2. To abridge or condense (a narrative, description, etc.) for brevity or effect.
foreshorten = fore<before/front> + shorten<reduce length>
- fore: From Old English fore-, meaning "before" or "in front," often used as a prefix to indicate priority or position.
- shorten: Derived from Old English scortian (to make short), combining short (limited in length) + -en (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology Origin:
The term emerged in the 16th century, originally in artistic contexts to describe the technique of distorting an object’s proportions to simulate depth in two-dimensional art. The prefix fore- emphasizes the "forward" or "visible" part of the object being visually compressed, while shorten reflects the literal reduction in apparent length. Over time, it expanded metaphorically to describe narrative or textual condensation.
The artist skillfully foreshortened the figure’s arm to create a sense of movement.
In his speech, he foreshortened the historical details to focus on key events.
Foreshortening is essential in comic book art to depict dynamic poses.
The director foreshortened the original script to fit the film’s runtime.
Without proper foreshortening, the painting lacked depth and realism.