Main Entry: cur·tail

Pronunciation: \(ˌ)kər-ˈtāl\

Function: transitive verb

Etymology: by folk etymology from earlier curtal to dock an animal's tail, from curtal, noun, animal with a docked tail, from Middle French courtault — more at curtal

Date: 1580

: to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part <curtail the power of the executive branch> <curtail inflation>

synonyms see shorten

— cur·tail·er \-ˈtā-lər\ noun