Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged
Visual

ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Word Central
Spell It!

curtail

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

curtailed

Main Entry:: cur·tail
Pronunciation:: \(ˌ)kər-ˈtāl\
Function:: transitive verb
Etymology:: 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
Date:: 1580

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

synonyms see shorten

— cur·tail·er

Listen to the pronunciation of curtailer

\-ˈtā-lər\ noun

Learn more about "curtail" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "curtail" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols