curtail
1curtail — cur‧tail [kɜːˈteɪl ǁ kɜːr ] verb [transitive] to reduce or limit something: • The Federal Bank s critics in Congress are eager to curtail its power. • Investment plans may be curtailed by high interest rates. * * * curtail UK US /kɜːˈteɪl/ verb… …
2Curtail — Cur tail (k?r t?l), n. The scroll termination of any architectural member, as of a step, etc. [1913 Webster] …
3Curtail — Cur*tail (k[u^]r*t[=a]l ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Curtailed} ( t[=a]ld ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Curtailing}.] [See {Curtal}.] To cut off the end or tail, or any part, of; to shorten; to abridge; to diminish; to reduce. [1913 Webster] I, that am… …
4curtail — I verb abate, abbreviate, abridge, clip, coartare, cut, cut down, cut short, decrease, diminish, halt, lessen, lop, make smaller, minuere, pare, pare down, reduce, retrench, shorten, subtract, trim II index abate (lessen) …
5curtail — late 15c., from M.Fr. courtault made short, from court short (O.Fr. cort, from L. curtus; see CURT (Cf. curt)) + ault pejorative suffix of Germanic origin. Originally curtal; used of horses with docked tails, which probably influenced the… …
6curtail — *shorten, abbreviate, abridge, retrench Analogous words: reduce, *decrease, lessen: *cut, slash Antonyms: protract, prolong Contrasted words: *extend, lengthen, elongate …
7curtail — [v] cut short; abridge abbreviate, boil down, chop, clip, contract, cramp, cut, cut back, decrease, diminish, dock, downsize, get to meat*, halt, lessen, lop, minify, pare down, put in nutshell*, reduce, retrench, roll back, shorten, slash, trim …
8curtail — ► VERB ▪ reduce in extent or quantity. DERIVATIVES curtailment noun. ORIGIN from obsolete curtal «horse with a docked tail», from Latin curtus, influenced by TAIL(Cf. ↑tailless) …
9curtail — [kər tāl′] vt. [ME curtailen, altered (by assoc. with taillen < OFr taillier: see TAILOR) < OFr curtald, CURTAL] to cut short; reduce; abridge SYN. SHORTEN curtailment n …
10curtail — [[t]kɜː(r)te͟ɪl[/t]] curtails, curtailing, curtailed VERB If you curtail something, you reduce or limit it. [FORMAL] [V n] NATO plans to curtail the number of troops being sent to the region... [V n] I told Louie that old age would curtail her… …
