abbr = {
  define = function(self, cmdstr)
    local cmd
    self.hash = {}
    for word in cmdstr:upper():gmatch("%S+") do
      if cmd then
        local n = tonumber(word)
        for len = n or #cmd, #cmd do
          self.hash[cmd:sub(1,len)] = cmd
        end
        cmd = n==nil and word or nil
      else
        cmd = word
      end
    end
  end,
  expand = function(self, input)
    local output = {}
    for word in input:upper():gmatch("%S+") do
      table.insert(output, self.hash[word] or "*error*")
    end
    return table.concat(output, " ")
  end
}
abbr:define[[
  add 1  alter 3  backup 2  bottom 1  Cappend 2  change 1  Schange  Cinsert 2  Clast 3
  compress 4 copy 2 count 3 Coverlay 3 cursor 3  delete 3 Cdelete 2  down 1  duplicate
  3 xEdit 1 expand 3 extract 3  find 1 Nfind 2 Nfindup 6 NfUP 3 Cfind 2 findUP 3 fUP 2
  forward 2  get  help 1 hexType 4  input 1 powerInput 3  join 1 split 2 spltJOIN load
  locate 1 Clocate 2 lowerCase 3 upperCase 3 Lprefix 2  macro  merge 2 modify 3 move 2
  msg  next 1 overlay 1 parse preserve 4 purge 3 put putD query 1 quit  read recover 3
  refresh renum 3 repeat 3 replace 1 Creplace 2 reset 3 restore 4 rgtLEFT right 2 left
  2  save  set  shift 2  si  sort  sos  stack 3 status 4 top  transfer 3  type 1  up 1
]]
local input = "riG   rePEAT copies  put mo   rest    types   fup.    6       poweRin"
print("Input:", input)
print("Output:", abbr:expand(input))