Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Curtal
Cur′tal
(kûr′tal)
, Adj.
[OF.
courtault
, F. courtaud
, having a docked tail (cf. It. cortaldo
), fr. court
short, L. curtus
. See Curt
, and Curtail
.] Curt; brief; laconic.
Essays and
curtal
aphorisms. Milton.
Curtal dog
. See
Curtail dog
.Cur′tal
,Noun.
A horse with a docked tail; hence, anything cut short.
[Obs]
Nares.
Webster 1828 Edition
Curtal
CURTAL
,Noun.
CURTAL
,Adj.
Definition 2024
curtal
curtal
English
Noun
curtal (plural curtals)
- (historical) A variety of short-barrelled cannon.
- (obsolete) A horse or other animal having a docked tail.
- (music) An early type of bassoon.
Adjective
curtal (comparative more curtal, superlative most curtal)
- (obsolete) Of horses, having a docked tail.
- (now rare) Physically shortened; short.
- 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin 2011, page 98:
- she had loosened her hair and changed into the curtal frock of sunbright cotton that he was so fond of and had so ardently yearned to soil in the so recent past.
- 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin 2011, page 98:
- (obsolete) Abridged, curtailed.
- Milton:
- Essays and curtal aphorisms.
- Milton: