Forms: 6–7 curtal(l, -toll, 6 curteyl, 7 curtel, cur-, cour-, curt-tail, 6– curtail. [Originally curtal(l, f. CURTAL a., and still stressed on the first syllable by Johnson 1773. But already in the 16th c. the second syllable began to be associated with the word tail (cf. sense 1), and perhaps by some in the 17th and 18th c. with F. tailler to cut, whence the spelling cur-tail, curt-tail, curtail, and the current pronunciation, given without qualification by Walker 1791.]
† 1. To make a curtal of by docking the tail; to dock. Obs.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 115 b. Hys tayle is … a great commoditie to him to beate away flies: yet some delight to have them curtailed, specially if they be broade buttockt.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 363. The ashes also of an hardy-shrewes taile; provided alwales, that the shrew were let go aliue, so soone as she was curt-tailed.
1611. Cotgr., Escouer, to curtall, or cut off the taile.
2. To cut short in linear dimension; to shorten by cutting off a part.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 326. Thou hast rackte me, and curtalde me, sometimes I was too long, sometimes to[o] shorte.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, 19. If it be too long, thou hast a combe and a paire of scissers to curtall it.
1607. Rowlands, Famous Hist., 38. And Estellard I cur-tail’d by the knees.
1674. S. Vincent, Gallant’s Acad., 39. Let the three Huswively Spinsters of Destiny rather curtal the thred of thy life.
1787. ‘G. Gambado,’ Acad. Horsemen (1809), 27. I … firmly believe, that ten men are hanged for every inch curtailed in a Judge’s wig.
1827. Steuart, Planter’s G. (1828), 71. To lop and deface them … and … to curtail the roots.
b. As applied to sentences, verses, lines, letters, and the like, the sense leads on to 3.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 169. Some againe will be so short, and in suche wise curtall their sentences.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1865), 64. Whiche wordes are curteyled for the verse his cause.
1605. Camden, Rem., 21. Neither do we or the Welsh so curtall Latine, that we make all therein Monosyllables.
1766. H. Walpole, Lett. Conc. Rousseau, iv. 153. You have suffered my letter to be curtailed.
3. To shorten in duration or extent; to cut down; to abbreviate, abridge, diminish, or reduce, in extent or amount.
1589. Pasquil’s Return, D b. With what face dares anie politique … curtoll the maintenance of the Church?
1591. Lyly, Endym., V. ii. I will by peece-meele curtall my affections towards Dipsas.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. i. 12. When a Gentleman is dispos’d to sweare: it is not for any standers by to curtall his oathes.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. iii. 597. Yet I’d be loth my Days to curtal [rhyme mortal].
1781. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), I. 234. Greatly to curtail salaries is a false economy.
1843. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 195. His family’s slumbers were probably curtailed.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. iii. 244. The jurisdiction of the spiritual courts was not immediately curtailed.
4. To curtail (a person, etc.) of: to dock him of some part of his property, to deprive or rob him of something that he has enjoyed or has a right to. So to curtail in, to shorten in respect of.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., III. iv. (1588), 369. Not altogether beheading them [Statutes] of their preambles, Nor any whit curtailing them of their wordes.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. i. 18. I, that am curtail’d of this faire Proportion.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 396. How doe we curtall him of his ordinary dues.
1713. Addison, Trial Count Tariff, 10 (J.). His Antagonist has taken upon him a wrong Name, having curtail’d it of Two or Three Letters; for that in Reality his Name was not FACT but FACTION.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. vi. 114. His beard curtailed of ancient dimensions, he wore peaked, with moustachios.
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, V. i. § 2. 279. God is there … curtailed in no attribute.
† 5. To cut off short, lop off. Obs.
1594. Lodge, Wounds Civ. War, IV. in Hazl., Dodsley, VII. 172. Go, curtal off that neck with present stroke.
