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curtail

Pronunciation: /kəːˈteɪl/

Translate curtail | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of curtail

verb

[with object]

reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on:civil liberties were further curtailed
(curtail someone of) archaic deprive someone of (something):I that am curtailed of this fair proportion

Origin:

late 15th century: from obsolete curtal 'horse with a docked tail', from French courtault, from court 'short', from Latin curtus. The change in the ending was due to association with tail¹ and perhaps also with French tailler 'to cut'