A. Subdue
B. Augment
C. Encourage
D. Elaborate

Explanation:

The word abridge means to shorten something, especially a text, speech, or book, by removing some parts.

In simple words: to make something shorter or reduce its length.

The opposite of abridge is augment, which means to increase, expand, or make something longer or larger.

So, Augment is the correct antonym of Abridge.

Real-Life Example

Imagine a book:

• A teacher shortens a long story into a small summary → this is abridging it.
• A writer adds more details and makes the story longer → this is augmenting it.

Shorten = Abridge
Expand = Augment

Main Points for Exams

• Abridge means to shorten or condense.
• It is commonly used for books, speeches, or texts.
• Augment means to increase or expand.
• Elaborate is somewhat related but not exact opposite.
• Therefore, Augment is the correct antonym of Abridge.
• This type of question is common in PPSC, FPSC, CSS, PMS, NTS, IELTS, TOEFL, and other competitive exams.

Quick Memory Trick

❌ Abridge = Shorten
📈 Augment = Expand

Short ↔ Long
Abridge ↔ Augment ✔️