curtail

¹

[ker-teyl]

verb (used with object)

1. to cut short; cut off a part of; abridge; reduce; diminish.

   Synonyms: dock, lessen

curtail

²

[kur-teyl]

noun

Architecture.

1. a horizontal, spiral termination to the lower end of a stair railing.

2. Also called curtail step. a starting step having a scroll termination to one or both ends of the tread.

curtail

/ kɜːˈteɪl /

verb

1. (tr) to cut short; abridge

Other Word Forms

• curtailedly adverb
• curtailer noun
• curtailment noun
• noncurtailing adjective
• uncurtailed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of curtail¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English curtailen “to restrict” (said of royal succession or inheritance), probably a conflation of Middle French courtau(l)d ( curtal ) and Middle English taillen “to cut” ( taille, tailor ¹ )

Origin of curtail²

Probably alteration, by folk etymology, of curtal

Word History and Origins

Origin of curtail¹

C16: changed (through influence of _tail ¹ ) from obsolete curtal to dock; see _curtal

Synonym Study

See shorten.

Example Sentences

Prince Andrew seems to have cultivated his own independent sources of funding since leaving public life, including business connections with China, the Gulf States and a recently curtailed project with a Dutch start-up company.

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Some businesses are willing to curtail their electricity use during those hours for a price.

Read more on Barron's

But the British number one's decision to curtail her season two weeks early, and miss events in Tokyo and Hong Kong because of lingering sickness, is a sound one.

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If we allow this White House to curtail religious liberties now, we’ll invite even more significant erosion of our rights.

Read more on Salon

This has been widely seen as an attempt to curtail underground churches' online services.

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Related Words

• cut back 
• decrease 
• diminish 
• downsize 
• halt 
• lessen 
• reduce 
• shorten 
• slash 
• trim