tr.v., -tailed, -tail·ing, -tails.
To cut short or reduce. See synonyms at shorten.
[Middle English curtailen, to restrict, probably blend of Old French courtauld, docked. See curtal, and Middle English taillen, to cut (from Old French tailler; see tailor).]
curtailer cur·tail'er n.curtailment cur·tail'ment n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
