This is the 10170th most frequent Portuguese word.
encurtou
"Encurtou" means "shortened" in English.
In this sentence, 'encurtou' is used to mean 'shortened' or made smaller in terms of length. It refers to a physical alteration.
Ela encurtou o vestido para que ficasse mais confortável.
She shortened the dress to make it more comfortable.
Here, 'encurtou' means 'reduced' or 'shortened' in terms of time. It refers to a decrease in duration.
O trabalho encurtou quando todos começaram a ajudar.
The work reduced in duration when everyone started helping.
In this example, 'encurtou' signifies 'shortened' in terms of perceived distance covered due to increased speed.