Word a Day
curtail
What does curtail mean?
curtail (verb): to limit or restrict; to keep in check.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use curtail in a sentence?
- When the audience grew restless, the speaker curtailed her speech. (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0)
How do you pronounce curtail?
/kɚˈteɪl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does curtail come from?
Alteration of curtal, from Old French courtault (“which has been shortened”), itself from court (“short”) (from Latin curtus) + -ault.
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What are synonyms of curtail?
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “curtail”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “curtail” mean?
to limit or restrict; to keep in check
Right! That's what “curtail” means.
state emphatically and authoritatively
Not quite: that's what declare means.
to sail about, especially for pleasure
Not quite: that's what cruise means.
to emit heat and light without a flame
Not quite: that's what glow means.
Which word is closest in meaning to “curtail”?
collapse
Not quite: collapse means something else.
compound
Not quite: compound means something else.
advocate
Not quite: advocate means something else.
restrict
Right!
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