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verb (used with object)
to cut short; cut off a part of; abridge; reduce; diminish.
Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English curtailen to restrict (said of royal succession or inheritance), probably a conflation of Middle French courtau(l)d (see curtal) and Middle English taillen to cut (see taille, tailor)
1425–75; late Middle English curtailen to restrict (said of royal succession or inheritance), probably a conflation of Middle French courtau(l)d (see curtal) and Middle English taillen to cut (see taille, tailor)
Related forms
cur·tailed·ly, adverb
cur·tail·er, noun
cur·tail·ment, noun
non·cur·tail·ing, adjective
non·cur·tail·ment, noun
EXPANDun·cur·tailed, adjective
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Curtail
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
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.
Origin:
probably alteration, by folk etymology, of curtal
probably alteration, by folk etymology, of curtal
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To Curtail
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
curtail
late 15c., from M.Fr. courtault "made short," from court "short," from L. curtus (see curt) + -ault pejorative suffix of Gmc. origin. Originally curtal; used of horses with docked tails, which probably influenced the spelling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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