Abridge
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary · Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
In practice
To shorten a declaration or count by taking away or severing some of the substance of it.
Brooke, Abr. "Abridgment;" Comyn, Dig. "Abridgment;" 1 Viner, Abr. 109.
To abridge a plaint is to strike out a part of the demand, and pray that the tenant answer to the rest. This was allowable generally in real actions where the writ was de libera tenemento, as assize, dower, etc., where the demandant claims land of which the tenant was not seized.
See 1 Wm. Saund. 207, note 2; 2 Wm. Saund. 24, 330; Brooke, Abr. "Abridgment;" 1 Pet. (U. S.) 74; Stearns, Real Actions, 204.
To abridge damage is to reduce the same after the rendition of the verdict.