Curtail | Definition of curtail by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of CURTAIL

transitive verb

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part <curtail the power of the executive branch> <curtail inflation>

— cur·tail·er \-ˈtā-lər\ noun

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Origin of CURTAIL

by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

First Known Use: 1580

Related to CURTAIL

Synonyms: abbreviate, abridge, shorten, cut back, dock, elide, syncopate, truncate

Antonyms: elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract

Synonym Discussion of CURTAIL

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent. shorten implies reduction in length or duration <shorten a speech>. curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy <ceremonies curtailed because of rain>. abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part <using an abbreviated title>. abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result <the abridged version of the novel>. retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive <declining business forced the company to retrench>.

Rhymes with CURTAIL

abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blackmail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, derail, detail, doornail, dovetail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, exhale, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale

Definition of CURTAIL for Kids

: to shorten or reduce by cutting off the end or a part of <I had to curtail my speech.>

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "curtail"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "curtail"

Nglish: Translation of "curtail" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "curtail" for Arabic speakers

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