foreshorten
Fine Arts. to reduce or distort (parts of a represented object that are not parallel to the picture plane) in order to convey the illusion of three-dimensional space as perceived by the human eye: often done according to the rules of perspective.
to abridge, reduce, or contract; make shorter.
Origin of foreshorten
1Other words from foreshorten
- un·fore·short·ened, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use foreshorten in a sentence
In the decoration of this Correggio surpassed himself in his mastery of chiaroscuro and the foreshortening of the human figure.
Cathedral Cities of Italy | William Wiehe CollinsApproach to the edge of the disk also causes a foreshortening which sometimes entirely alters the aspect of a marking.
Pleasures of the telescope | Garrett ServissPedestals were all very well at a proper distance, but at a close view they were foreshortening to the human figure.
The Helpmate | May SinclairHe was the first who attempted the difficult task of foreshortening.
The foreshortening of the right arm and hand of Icarus is a clever piece of technical workmanship.
Van Dyck | Estelle M. Hurll
British Dictionary definitions for foreshorten
/ (fɔːˈʃɔːtən) /
to represent (a line, form, object, etc) as shorter than actual length in order to give an illusion of recession or projection, in accordance with the laws of linear perspective
to make shorter or more condensed; reduce or abridge
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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