Text::Abbrev(3)

NNAAMMEE
       abbrev - create an abbreviation table from a list

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
           use Text::Abbrev;
           abbrev $hashref, LIST

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       Stores all unambiguous truncations of each element of LIST
       as keys key in the associative array referenced to by
       $hashref.  The values are the original list elements.

EEXXAAMMPPLLEE
           $hashref = abbrev qw(list edit send abort gripe);

           %hash = abbrev qw(list edit send abort gripe);

           abbrev $hashref, qw(list edit send abort gripe);

           abbrev(*hash, qw(list edit send abort gripe));