JavaScript function to dynamically crop text

crop.js

    // Look for all elements with a clip class, and remove words form them
    // until the text fits in the available space. This requires the element
    // to have a fixed (maximum) width and height.
    function cropText(root) {
        var victims = root.querySelectorAll(".clip"),
            rest, html, victim, $victim, words, cropped;

        for (var i=0; i<victims.length; ++i) {
            $victim=$(victim=victims[i]);
            // We can only measure when the item is visible, but make it transparent
            // so we do not introduce flickering.
            victim.style.opacity=0;
            victim.style.display="block";
            words=$victim.text().split(/\s+/);
            cropped=false;
            rest=[];
            while (victim.scrollHeight>victim.clientHeight && words.length>1) {
                rest.unshift(words.slice(-1));
                words=words.slice(0, -1);
                html=words.join(" ") +" <a href='#' class='expand'>…»</a>";
                $victim.html(html);
                cropped=true;
            }
            if (cropped) {
                victim.className+=" cropped";
                $victim.html(html+" <span class='rest'>"+rest.join(" ")+"</span>");
            }
            victim.style.opacity=null;
            victim.style.display="inline";
        }
    }