Library / English Dictionary

CURTAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Place restrictions on

Example:

curtail drinking in school

Synonyms:

curb; curtail; cut back; restrict

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "curtail" is one way to...):

circumscribe; confine to; limit (restrict or confine within limits)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "curtail"):

abridge (lessen, diminish, or curtail)

immobilise; immobilize (cause to be unable to move)

ration (restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war)

control; restrict (place under restrictions; limit access to by law)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent

Example:

Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries

Synonyms:

clip; curtail; cut short

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "curtail" is one way to...):

shorten (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

curtailment (the temporal property of being cut short)

Credits