curtail

1
[ ker-teyl ]
/ kərˈteɪl /

verb (used with object)

to cut short; cut off a part of; abridge; reduce; diminish.

Origin of curtail

1
1425–75; late Middle English curtailen to restrict (said of royal succession or inheritance), probably a conflation of Middle French courtau(l)d (see curtal) and Middle English taillen to cut (see taille, tailor1)

OTHER WORDS FROM curtail

Example sentences from the Web for curtailed

British Dictionary definitions for curtailed

curtail
/ (kɜːˈteɪl) /

verb

(tr) to cut short; abridge

Derived forms of curtail

curtailer, noun curtailment, noun

Word Origin for curtail

C16: changed (through influence of tail 1) from obsolete curtal to dock; see curtal