The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook

condense

IPA:

Dictionary definition of condense

To make something more compact, concentrated, or concise.
"The speaker had to condense his speech due to time constraints."

Detailed meaning of condense

It involves reducing the size, volume, or length of a text, substance, or concept while retaining the essential or important elements. When condensing information or writing, one aims to express the main points or ideas in a shorter form, eliminating unnecessary details or redundancies. In the context of physical substances, condensing involves transforming a gas or vapor into a liquid state by cooling or applying pressure. This process causes the molecules to come closer together, resulting in a denser form. Similarly, when condensing ideas or concepts, the objective is to present the essential information in a condensed and more easily digestible manner. Condensing can enhance clarity, improve efficiency, and facilitate understanding by distilling complex or lengthy content into a more succinct and manageable form.

Example sentences containing condense

1. Please condense your report to fit within the specified word limit.
2. I need to condense this 500-page novel into a 10-minute presentation.
3. The professor condensed a semester's worth of material into a comprehensive study guide.
4. Can you condense your explanation so that it's easier for others to understand?
5. The documentary condenses years of research into a one-hour film.
6. The editor will condense the article to make it more concise.

History and etymology of condense

The verb 'condense' has its etymological roots in the Latin word 'condensare,' which is a combination of 'con-' meaning 'together' and 'densus' meaning 'thick' or 'dense.' This etymology vividly conveys the idea that when something is 'condensed,' it is made more compact and thickened together, resulting in a reduction of volume or a concentration of substance. It implies the process of compressing or bringing together multiple elements into a denser and more concise form. Therefore, the term 'condense' maintains its etymological connection to the act of making something more concentrated, compact, or concise by bringing its parts or elements together.

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Further usage examples of condense

1. I need to condense my thoughts into a few key points for the presentation.
2. The author condensed a trilogy into a single volume.
3. The condensed version of the book provided a quick overview of the main ideas.
4. The film adaptation had to condense the complex plot into a two-hour movie.
5. The recipe condenses the cooking time by using a pressure cooker.
6. I need to condense this report to fit on one page.
7. The chef had to condense the menu for the evening.
8. She aimed to condense the complex theory into a simple explanation.
9. Condense the text to convey the main points.
10. The publisher asked me to condense the novel.
11. We must condense the data for a clear presentation.
12. Condense your thoughts into a brief statement.
13. To save space, we'll need to condense the image.
14. He managed to condense years of research into a short article.
15. Condense the list to the essentials.
16. We'll need to condense the lecture for the conference.
17. Can you condense this information for a quick summary?
18. I'll condense the video to fit on our website.
19. She could condense complex ideas into a few sentences.
20. Condense the ingredients to create a potent flavor.
21. The filmmaker had to condense the storyline.
22. Condense your argument for a stronger impact.
23. The editor asked me to condense my manuscript.
24. They decided to condense the meeting agenda.
25. The artist managed to condense a scene into a single painting.