curtail
kur-TAYL
/kərˈteɪl/
reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on an activity or privilege.
Implies cutting an ongoing action short before its natural end due to outside restrictions.
The story behind the word. Originated from Middle English curtal, describing a horse with a docked tail. English speakers mistakenly re-analyzed 'curtal' as 'curt-tail', believing it was a compound of 'cut' and 'tail'. This folk etymology permanently altered the spelling and meaning to cutting short.
Word relationships
- restrict: Restrict means placing boundaries around an activity, while curtail means actively cutting it short.
- slash: Slash is informal and dramatic, whereas curtail is formal and administrative.
- extend: Extend means to lengthen time or scope.
- prolong: Prolong means to drag out or continue beyond normal bounds.
Commonly confused with
- curt: Curt is an adjective describing rude speech; curtail is a verb describing cutting an activity short.
Word family
- curtailment (noun): the action of reducing or restricting something
- curtailed (adjective): cut short or restricted
Collocations
- curtail spending
- curtail activities
- curtail freedoms
- severely curtail
Example sentences
- "The corporation was forced to curtail business travel due to unexpected budget shortfalls." Corporate policy report
- "Outdoor public activities were severely curtailed during the height of the summer heatwave." Public health update
Memory hook
To CURTAIL an event is to CUT the TAIL off its schedule. Cut the tail off an ongoing event.
When not to use
Do not use when editing a text or book; use abridge or condense instead.
Fun facts
- The modern spelling was created by a centuries-old spelling error where people thought 'curtal' meant 'cut-tail'.
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.