or curtail, subs. (old).—A vagabond and thief.—See quots.
1560. AWDELEY, The Fraternitye of Vacabondes (1869, English Dialect Society’s Reprint), p. 4. A CURTALL is much like to the Vpright man, but hys authority is not fully so great. He vseth commonly to go with a short cloke, like to grey Friers, and his woman with him in like liuery, which he calleth his altham if she be hys.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. CURTAILS, thieves who cut off pieces of stuff hanging out of shop windows; the tails of women’s gowns, &c. also thieves wearing short jackets.
Verb (old).—To cut off. Originally a cant word—vide Hudibras, and Bacchus and Venus, 1737.
