▪ I. curtail, v.
(kɜːˈteɪl)
Forms: 6–7 curtal(l, -toll, 6 curteyl, 7 curtel, cur-, cour-, curt-tail, 6– curtail.
[Originally curtal(l, f. curtal a., and still stressed on the first syllable by Johnson 1773. But already in the 16th c. the second syllable began to be associated with the word tail (cf. sense 1), and perhaps by some in the 17th and 18th c. with F. tailler to cut, whence the spelling cur-tail, curt-tail, curtail, and the current pronunciation, given without qualification by Walker 1791.]
† 1. To make a curtal of by docking the tail; to dock. Obs.
| 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 115 b, Hys tayle is..a great commoditie to him to beate away flies: yet some delight to have them curtailed, specially if they be broade buttockt. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 363 The ashes also of an hardy-shrewes taile; provided alwaies, that the shrew were let go aliue, so soone as she was curt-tailed. 1611 Cotgr., Escouer, to curtall, or cut off the taile. |
2. To cut short in linear dimension; to shorten by cutting off a part.
| 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 326 Thou hast rackte me, and curtalde me, sometimes I was too long, sometimes to[o] shorte. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 19 If it be too long, thou hast a combe and a paire of scissers to curtall it. 1607 Rowlands Famous Hist. 38 And Estellard I cur-tail'd by the knees. 1674 S. Vincent Gallant's Acad. 39 Let the three Huswively Spinsters of Destiny rather curtal the thred of thy life. 1787 ‘G. Gambado’ Acad. Horsemen (1809) 27, I..firmly believe, that ten men are hanged for every inch curtailed in a Judge's wig. 1827 H. Steuart Planter's G. (1828) 71 To lop and deface them..and..to curtail the roots. |
b. As applied to sentences, verses, lines, letters, and the like, the sense leads on to 3.
| 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 169 Some againe will be so short, and in suche wise curtall their sentences. 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1865) 64 Whiche wordes are curteyled for the verse his cause. 1605 Camden Rem. 21 Neither do we or the Welsh so curtall Latine, that we make all therein Monosyllables. 1766 H. Walpole Lett. Conc. Rousseau iv. 153 You have suffered my letter to be curtailed. |
3. To shorten in duration or extent; to cut down; to abbreviate, abridge, diminish, or reduce, in extent or amount.
| 1589 Pasquil's Return D b, With what face dares anie politique..curtoll the maintenance of the Church? 1591 Lyly Endym. v. ii, I will by peece-meele curtall my affections towards Dipsas. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. ii. i. 12 When a Gentleman is dispos'd to sweare: it is not for any standers by to curtall his oathes. 1663 Butler Hud. i. iii. 597 Yet I'd be loth my Days to curtal [rime mortal]. 1781 Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writ. (1832) I. 234 Greatly to cur⁓tail salaries is a false economy. 1843 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 195 His family's slumbers were probably curtailed. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. I. iii. 244 The jurisdiction of the spiritual courts was not immediately curtailed. |
4. to curtail (a person, etc.) of: to dock him of some part of his property, to deprive or rob him of something that he has enjoyed or has a right to. So to curtail in, to shorten in respect of.
| 1581 W. Lambarde Eiren. iii. iv. (1586) 369 Not altogether beheading them [Statutes] of their preambles, Nor any whit curtailing them of their wordes. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. i. 18, I, that am curtail'd of this faire Proportion. 1642 Rogers Naaman 396 How doe we curtall him of his ordinary dues. a 1719 Addison (J.), Fact..had taken a wrong name, having curtailed it of three letters; for that his name was not Fact but Faction. 1830 D'Israeli Chas. I, III. vi. 114 His beard curtailed of ancient dimensions, he wore peaked. 1856 Dove Logic Chr. Faith v. i. §2. 279 God is there..curtailed in no attribute. |
† 5. To cut off short, lop off. Obs.
| 1594 Lodge Wounds Civ. War iv. in Hazl. Dodsley VII. 172 Go, curtal off that neck with present stroke. |
▪ II. † curˈtail, n. Obs.
[f. curtail v.]
The act of curtailing, curtailment.
| 1797 E. M. Lomax Philanthrope 19 Fancying myself present..at this office of curtail or extension. |
▪ III. curtail
obs. form of curtal n. and a.