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

Derived Forms

• curˈtailment, noun
• curˈtailer, noun

Other Words From

• cur·tailed·ly adverb
• cur·tail·er noun
• cur·tail·ment noun
• non·cur·tail·ing adjective
• un·cur·tailed 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

Although he served as legal adviser to the Department of State in the Obama administration, in his warnings about the perils posed by the slide towards unilateral presidential powers, Harold Hongju Kou concedes that the president could have done more to curtail the Bush-era enhancement of the powers of the president.

From Salon

On immigration, Trump has made it clear that he will move to curtail pathways to migration, likely scrapping the CBP One smartphone app.

From Los Angeles Times

But in the longer term, it is not clear if the new president will turn back the clock for coal, oil and gas, or curtail the growth of sustainable energy sources.

From BBC

The Supreme Court threw out the case because the plaintiffs lacked standing, but 145 Republican members of Congress, in an amicus brief, urged the justices to sharply curtail mifepristone access by judicial fiat.

From Slate

He bucked his party on water conservation issues, opposing Democratic-led efforts to curtail the amount of state and federal water flowing to San Joaquin Valley irrigation districts.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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