Part 2687

<blockquote>The <b>curt</b>, yet comprehensive reply. <i>W. Irving.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Curtail</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur*tail"</hw> <tt>(k?r-t?l")</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p.p.</tt> <er>Curtailed</er> <tt>(-t?ld")</tt>; <tt>p.pr. & vb.n.</tt> <er>Curtailing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[See <er>Curtal</er>.]</ety> <def>To cut off the end or tail, or any part, of; to shorten; to abridge; to diminish; to reduce.</def>

<blockquote>I, that am <b>curtailed</b> of this fair proportion. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Our incomes have been <b>curtailed</b>; his salary has been doubled. <i>Macualay.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Curtail</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur"tail</hw> <tt>(k?r"t?l)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The scroll termination of any architectural member, as of a step, etc.</def>

<h1>Curtail dog</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur"tail dog`</hw> <tt>(d<?/g`; 115)</tt>. <def>A dog with a docked tail; formerly, the dog of a person not qualified to course, which, by the forest laws, must have its tail cut short, partly as a mark, and partly from a notion that the tail is necessary to a dog in running; hence, a dog not fit for sporting.</def>

<blockquote>Hope is a <b>curtail dog</b> in some affairs. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Curtailer</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur*tail"er</hw> <tt>(k?r-t?l"?r)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who curtails.</def>

<h1>Curtailment</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur*tail"ment</hw> <tt>(k?r-t?l"m<it>e</it>nt)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act or result of curtailing or cutting off.</def>

<i>Bancroft.</i>

<h1>Curtain</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur"tain</hw> <tt>(k?r"t?n; 48)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE.<ets>cortin</ets>, <ets>curtin</ets>,fr. OF. <ets>cortine</ets>, <ets>curtine</ets>, F. <ets>courtine</ets>, LL. <ets>cortina</ets>, curtian (in senses 1 and 2), also, small court, small inclosure surrounded by walls, from <ets>cortis</ets> court. See <er>Court</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>A hanging screen intended to darken or conceal, and admitting of being drawn back or up, and reclosed at pleasure; esp., drapery of cloth or lace hanging round a bed or at a window; in theaters, and like places, a movable screen for concealing the stage.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Fort.)</fld> <def>That part of the rampart and parapet which is between two bastions or two gates. See <i>Illustrations</i> of <er>Ravelin</er> and <er>Bastion</er>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A flag; an ensign; -- in contempt.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<cs><col>Behind the curtain</col>, <cd>in concealment; in secret.</cd> -- <col>Curtain lecture</col>, <cd>a querulous lecture given by a wife to her husband within the bed curtains, or in bed.</cd></cs>

<i>Jerrold.</i>

<blockquote>A <b>curtain lecture</b> is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering. <i>W. Irving.</i></blockquote>

--<cs> <col>The curtain falls</col>, <cd>the performance closes.</cd> -- <col>The curtain rises</col>, <cd>the performance begins.</cd> -- <col>To draw the curtain</col>, <cd>to close ot over an object, or to remove it;</cd> hence: <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>To hide or to disclose an object.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>To commence or close a performance.</cd> -- <col>To drop the curtain</col>, <cd>to end the tale, or close the performance.</cd></cs>

<h1>Curtain</h1> <Xpage=358>

<hw>Cur"tain</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p.p.</tt> <er>Curtained</er> <tt>(-t?nd; 48)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Curtaining</er>.]</wordforms> <def>To inclose as with curtains; to furnish with curtains.</def>