† curtaln.adj.
/ˈkəːtəl/ Obsolete exc. Historical (or archaic).
A. n.
I. 1500s courtault, -tall, -tal, 1500s–1600s cortall, curtall, (1500s curtell, -tole, -tayle, 1500s–1600s -toll, -taile, 1500s–1700s -tail), 1500s– curtal.
1. A horse with its tail cut short or docked (and sometimes the ears cropped); apparently sometimes a horse of a particular breed or small size, with which this practice was usual. Cf. cocktail n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [noun] > tail > docked > horse having
curtal1530
bob-tail1676
cocktail1781
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 68 Covrtavlt, a courtall, a horse.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 506/1 I wyll cutte of my horse tayle and make hym a courtault.
1564 W. Bullein Dialogue against Fever Pestilence f. 60 You can make a stoned horse a geldyng, and a longe taile a curtall.
1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 1697/1 Mounted on a Curtaile.
1610 G. Markham Maister-peece ii. clix. 467 (heading) Of the making of Curtals, or cutting off of the tailes of Horses.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Double courtaut, a strong curtall; or, a horse of a middle size betweene th' ordinarie curtall, and horse of seruice.
1620 Horæ Subseciuæ 36 They..thence vpon their Curtoe..goe to the Tauerne.
1653 H. Cogan tr. F. M. Pinto Voy. & Adventures xxxix. 156 Six pages apparelled in his livery mounted on white Curtals.
2. transferred and figurative.
a. Any animal that has lost its tail.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > animal body > general parts > rump and tail > [noun] > tail > animal that's lost tail
curtal1608
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 146 Certaine [serpents]..whose bodies are of an equall..thicknesse, so as they appeare without tailes, being for that purpose called Decurtati, Curtailes.
b. Anything docked, or cut short.
ΚΠ
1669 Addr. Hopeful Young Gentry 80 There remains nothing of it but the shade of a great name, the empty curtail of its faint eccho.
1867 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 2nd Ser. (new ed.) Introd. p. xxxi Consider what a poor curtal we have made of Ocean. There was something of his heave and expanse in o-ce-an.
3. Applied to persons:
a. with figurative reference to sense A. 1: One whose ears are cropped.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > torture > [noun] > one who is tortured > one whose ears have been cut
curtal1592
crop-ear1598
1592 R. Greene Quip for Vpstart Courtier sig. E3v I am made a curtall, for the Pillorie..hath eaten off both my eares.
b. Cant. A rogue who wears a short cloak.In quot. 1725 differently explained.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > roguery > rogue > [noun] > short-cloaked
curtal1567
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal > wearing short cloak
curtal1567
1567 T. Harman Caueat for Commen Cursetors (new ed.) sig. Civ There be of these Roges Curtales wearing shorte clokes.
1575 J. Awdely Fraternitye of Vacabondes (new ed.) sig. A2v A Curtall is much like to the Upright man..He useth commonly to go with a short cloke, like to grey Friers.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Curtals, the Eleventh Rank of the Canting Crew.
1725 New Canting Dict. Curtails..so called from their Practice to cut off Pieces of Silk, Cloth, Linen or Stuff, that were hung out at the Shop-Windows of Mercers, etc... Also a Species of Cut-purses.
c. A term of derision or opprobrium. [Direct connection with French courtaud ‘short or dumpy person’ is doubtful.]
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > inferior person > [noun] > as abused
warlockOE
swinec1175
beastc1225
wolf's-fista1300
avetrolc1300
congeonc1300
dirtc1300
slimec1315
snipec1325
lurdanc1330
misbegetc1330
sorrowa1350
shrew1362
jordan1377
wirlingc1390
frog?a1400
warianglea1400
wretcha1400
horcop14..
turdc1400
callet1415
lotterela1450
paddock?a1475
souter1478
chuff?a1500
langbain?c1500
cockatrice1508
sow1508
spink1508
wilrone1508
rook?a1513
streaker?a1513
dirt-dauber?1518
marmoset1523
babiona1529
poll-hatcheta1529
bear-wolf1542
misbegotten1546
pig1546
excrement1561
mamzer1562
chuff-cat1563
varlet1566
toada1568
mandrake1568
spider1568
rat1571
bull-beef1573
mole-catcher1573
suppository1573
curtal1578
spider-catcher1579
mongrela1585
roita1585
stickdirta1585
dogfish1589
Poor John1589
dog's facec1590
tar-boxa1592
baboon1592
pot-hunter1592
venom1592
porcupine1594
lick-fingers1595
mouldychaps1595
tripe1595
conundrum1596
fat-guts1598
thornback1599
land-rat1600
midriff1600
stinkardc1600
Tartar1600
tumbril1601
lobster1602
pilcher1602
windfucker?1602
stinker1607
hog rubber1611
shad1612
splay-foot1612
tim1612
whit1612
verdugo1616
renegado1622
fish-facea1625
flea-trapa1625
hound's head1633
mulligrub1633
nightmare1633
toad's-guts1634
bitch-baby1638
shagamuffin1642
shit-breech1648
shitabed1653
snite1653
pissabed1672
bastard1675
swab1687
tar-barrel1695
runt1699
fat-face1740
shit-sack1769
vagabond1842
shick-shack1847
soor1848
b1851
stink-pot1854
molie1871
pig-dog1871
schweinhund1871
wind-sucker1880
fucker1893
cocksucker1894
wart1896
so-and-so1897
swine-hound1899
motherfucker1918
S.O.B.1918
twat1922
mong1926
mucker1929
basket1936
cowson1936
zombie1936
meatball1937
shower1943
chickenshit1945
mugger1945
motherferyer1946
hooer1952
morpion1954
mother1955
mother-raper1959
louser1960
effer1961
salaud1962
gunk1964
scunge1967
1578 G. Whetstone Promos & Cassandra: 1st Pt. i. iv. sig. Biijv Were you borne in a myll, curtole? you prate so hye.
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 201 b That this creeppled curtoll of Osorius may stand upright upon his legges.
1621 J. Fletcher et al. Trag. of Thierry & Theodoret i. i. sig. B3 Your old and honord Mistresse, you tyr'd curtalls Suffers for your base sinnes.
d. A drab. [Perhaps referring to short skirts.]
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > prostitution > [noun] > a prostitute
meretrixOE
whoreOE
soiled dovea1250
common womanc1330
putec1384
bordel womanc1405
putaina1425
brothelc1450
harlot?a1475
public womanc1510
naughty pack?1529
draba1533
cat1535
strange woman1535
stew1552
causey-paikera1555
putanie?1566
drivelling1570
twigger1573
punka1575
hackney1579
customer1583
commodity1591
streetwalker1591
traffic1591
trug1591
hackster1592
polecat1593
stale1593
mermaid1595
medlar1597
occupant1598
Paphian1598
Winchester goose1598
pagan1600
hell-moth1602
aunt1604
moll1604
prostitution1605
community1606
miss1606
night-worm1606
bat1607
croshabell1607
prostitute1607
pug1607
venturer1607
nag1608
curtal1611
jumbler1611
land-frigate1611
walk-street1611
doll-common1612
turn-up1612
barber's chaira1616
commonera1616
public commonera1616
trader1615
venturea1616
stewpot1616
tweak1617
carry-knave1623
prostibule1623
fling-dusta1625
mar-taila1625
night-shadea1625
waistcoateera1625
night trader1630
coolera1632
meretrician1631
painted ladya1637
treadle1638
buttock1641
night-walker1648
mob?1650
lady (also girl, etc.) of the game1651
lady of pleasure1652
trugmullion1654
fallen woman1659
girlc1662
high-flyer1663
fireship1665
quaedama1670
small girl1671
visor-mask1672
vizard-mask1672
bulker1673
marmalade-madam1674
town miss1675
town woman1675
lady of the night1677
mawks1677
fling-stink1679
Whetstone whore1684
man-leech1687
nocturnal1693
hack1699
strum1699
fille de joie1705
market-dame1706
screw1725
girl of (the) town1733
Cytherean1751
street girl1764
monnisher1765
lady of easy virtue1766
woman (also lady) of the town1766
kennel-nymph1771
chicken1782
stargazer1785
loose fish1809
receiver general1811
Cyprian1819
mollya1822
dolly-mop1834
hooker1845
charver1846
tail1846
horse-breaker1861
professional1862
flagger1865
cocodette1867
cocotte1867
queen's woman1871
common prostitute1875
joro1884
geisha1887
horizontal1888
flossy1893
moth1896
girl of the pavement1900
pross1902
prossie1902
pusher1902
split-arse mechanic1903
broad1914
shawl1922
bum1923
quiff1923
hustler1924
lady of the evening1924
prostie1926
working girl1928
prostisciutto1930
maggie1932
brass1934
brass nail1934
mud kicker1934
scupper1935
model1936
poule de luxe1937
pro1937
chromo1941
Tom1941
pan-pan1949
twopenny upright1958
scrubber1959
slack1959
yum-yum girl1960
Suzie Wong1962
mattress1964
jamette1965
ho1966
sex worker1971
pavement princess1976
parlour girl1979
crack whore1990
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Caignardiere, a hedge-whore, lazie queane, lowsie trull, filthie curtall, Doxie, Morte.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Curtail, a Drab, or nasty Slut.
II. 1500s courtault, curtald, cortoute, 1500s–1600s curtall, 1600s cortal; plural 1500s–1600s curtaux, -tawes, -towes.
4.
a. A kind of cannon with a comparatively short barrel, in use in the 16th and 17th centuries. The demi-curtall or half curtall, and double curtall were smaller and larger varieties.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > small or short pieces
murderer1495
curtala1509
minion1513
passe-volant1513
pikmoyane1513
saker1521
base1539
robinet1547
quarter cannon?a1549
bersec1550
murdresarc1550
yetling1558
battardc1565
demi-cannon1577
calabass1578
double curtal1582
demi-culverin1587
rabinet1596
murdering piece1601
drake1627
putter1646
cartow1650
putterlingc1650
minion drakea1661
cut1672
under-saker1678
murther1688
carronade1779
carthoun1849
a1509 Ramsay Let. to Hen. VII in Pinkerton Hist. Scot. II. 440 (Jam.) ij great curtaldis that war send out of France.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 448/1 They bended agaynst the castell ten courtaultes and fyftene serpentynes.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. cxxi Bombardes, curtawes, & demy curtaux.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. cxxvijv One pece of ordinaunce called a Curtall.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. cxxxvjv Double Curtalles.
1629 tr. S. Pelegromius Descr. S'hertogenbosh 36 The Enemies did shoot aboue 110 shot with halfe Curtowes.
1664 Floddan Field ii. 18 Culverings and Cortals great, And double Canons two or three.
b. curtal-sonnet n. (see quot. a1889).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > poem or piece of poetry > lyric poem > [noun] > lyric of fixed verse form > sonnet > types of sonnet
caudated sonnet1886
curtal-sonneta1889
a1889 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1918) Pref. 6 Nos. 13 and 22 are Curtal-Sonnets, that is they are constructed in proportions resembling those of the sonnet proper, namely 6 + 4 instead of 8 + 6, with however a halfline tailpiece (so that the equation is rather 12/ 8 + 9/ 2 = 21/ 2 = 101/ 2).
III. 1500s curtoll, 1600s–1700s courtel, 1700s curtail, -till, curtal, ( 1700s–1800s courtaud, -aut).
5. An obsolete musical instrument, a kind of bassoon; also an organ stop of similar quality of tone; also double curtal.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > small or short pieces
murderer1495
curtala1509
minion1513
passe-volant1513
pikmoyane1513
saker1521
base1539
robinet1547
quarter cannon?a1549
bersec1550
murdresarc1550
yetling1558
battardc1565
demi-cannon1577
calabass1578
double curtal1582
demi-culverin1587
rabinet1596
murdering piece1601
drake1627
putter1646
cartow1650
putterlingc1650
minion drakea1661
cut1672
under-saker1678
murther1688
carronade1779
carthoun1849
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > wind instrument > woodwind instruments > [noun] > reed instrument > bassoon-like instruments
bombard1393
curtal1582
sordun1876
pommer1878
dulcian1891
sordume1955
bombardo-
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > keyboard instrument > organ > [noun] > stop > reed-stop > specific
regal1555
curtal1582
trumpet1659
cremona1660
cromorne1694
hautboyc1700
horn1722
serpent1730
dulcian1773
zinke1773
trumpet stop1795
musette1825
fagotto1832
oboe1834
trombone1837
physharmonica1838
cornopean1840
ophicleide1842
posaune1843
button regal1852
shawm1852
vox angelica1852
busaun1855
bombardon1856
tuba1858
bombard1876
clarinet1876
rackett1876
tenoroon1876
clarionet1880
krummhorn1880
1582 S. Batman Vppon Bartholome, De Proprietatibus Rerum 423/1 (margin) The common bleting musicke is ye Drone, Hobius, and Curtoll.
168. Let. in J. Hawkins Gen. Hist. Music (1776) V. 355 Then Mr. Harris challenged Father Smith to make additional stops..these were the Vox-humane, the Cremona or Violin stop, the double Courtel or base Flute.
1706 E. Ward Hudibras Redivivus II. v. 24 With Voice as hoarse as double Curtal.
1776 J. Hawkins Gen. Hist. Music IV. ix. 139 An instrument, called, by reason of its shortness, the Courtaut.
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 124/2 Courtaut, Cortaud, Corthal, an ancient instrument of the bassoon kind.
B. adj. Also 1500s–1600s curtall, -toll.
1. Of horses: Having the tail docked; made a curtal.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [adjective] > having particular type of tail
docked1408
stug-tailed1575
curtal1576
curtailed1591
bushya1609
bobbed1658
undocked1677
flisk1680
rat-tailed1684
strunted1688
bob1709
cocktailed1763
switched1769
cocked1775
nick-tailed1840
1576 Inventory in J. T. Fowler Acts Church SS. Peter & Wilfrid, Ripon (1875) 377 A curtall nagge.
1578 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 396 One grey trotting curtoll mare.
1632 Thomas of Reading in W. J. Thoms Early Eng. Prose Romances (1858) I. 146 If he ware a long taile, he would make him curtall.
a1641 J. Smyth Berkeley MSS (1883) I. 208 A Dun Curtall horse with a white head and black mane.
2. Of dogs: Having the tail cut short or cut off.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dog > [adjective] > having specific type parts
sawinga1398
prick-eareda1425
well hanged1592
curtal1599
well-hung1611
unwormeda1625
uncropped1802
undocked1802
ring-tailed1821
apple-headed1854
gay1894
1599 W. Shakespeare et al. Passionate Pilgrime (new ed.) sig. C7 My curtaile dogge that wont to haue plaid, Plaies not at all but seemes afraid.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iii. ii. 151 I thinke..she had transform'd me to a Curtull dog, & made me turne i'th wheele. View more context for this quotation
a1663 R. Hood & Curtal Fryer xxxiv, in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1888) III. v. 125/2 The curtal dogs, so taught they were, They kept their arrows in their mouth.
3. Shortened, short in linear dimension.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > longitudinal extent > shortness > [adjective] > shortened
docked1408
abbreviatec1425
abridged?c1430
shorted1483
abbreviatedc1487
curtailed1561
curted1568
curtala1592
shortened1598
curt1665
brief1668
curtate1893
a1592 R. Greene Hist. Orlando Furioso (1594) sig. Fivv Why hast thou mard my sword? The pummells well, the blade is curtald short.
1614 W. Camden Remaines (rev. ed.) 233 A new round curtall weede which they called a Cloake.
1630 J. Taylor Vertue of Tayle in Wks. ii. 128/2 He notes the curtall cannes halfe fild with froth.
4. Abridged, curtailed; brief, scant, curt.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > conciseness > [adjective] > compressed
contract1561
cutted1565
curtal1579
contracted1595
astrict1631
compressed1822
condensed1823
syncopated1897
capsule1938
1579 W. Fulke Refut. Rastels Confut. in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 750 There needeth none other creed..but onely this short curtall creed.
1579 L. Tomson tr. J. Calvin Serm. Epist. S. Paule to Timothie & Titus 623/1 Wee muste not take this so short and curtall a passage for a life.
1649 J. Milton Εικονοκλαστης xiiii. 138 Matters of this moment..were not to be..determin'd heer by Essays and curtal Aphorisms.
a1661 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) 255 A thankless countrey's curtal love.
5. Of the nature of a curtal or drab: see sense A. 3d.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > prostitution > [adjective] > relating to or of nature of prostitute
strumpeta1382
priestybulous?1545
prostibulous?1545
curtal1595
Cyprian1787
hetaeric1868
pom-pom1945
1595 Pleasant Quippes for Vpstart Gentle-women sig. B3v Next, curtaile-flurt, as ranke as beast.
6. curtal friar n. apparently a friar with a short frock; cf. quot. 1575 at sense A. 3b.Applied in ballads to the friar (Tuck) who plays a part in some Robin Hood stories, called also ‘cutted friar’. Hence, as a vague archaism, in Scott. [The conjecture that curtal here means curtilanus, as ‘having the care and keeping of the curtile or vegetable garden’, is inadmissible.]
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > church government > monasticism > friar > [noun] > with short frock
cutted friarc1460
curtal friarc1610
c1610 Ballad (Pepysian Libr. I. No. 37) The famous Battelle betweene Robin Hood and the Curtall Fryer.
a1663 R. Hood & Curtal Fryer vi, in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1888) III. v. 124/1 There lives a curtal frier in Fountains Abby Will beat both him and thee.
a1663 R. Hood & Curtal Fryer xiii, in F. J. Child Eng. & Sc. Pop. Ballads (1888) III. v. 124/2 Carry me over the water, thou curtal frier.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe III. ii. 35 Now, sirs, who hath seen our chaplain? where is our curtal Friar?
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe III. ii. 53 Curtal Priest..thou hast been at a wet mass this morning.
1888 F. J. Child Ballads III. v. No. 117 A curtal, or cutted friar, called Friar Tuck.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.a1509- to look at her
- to look at him
- to look at the eyes
- to look at with a different eye
- to look at with another eye
- to look away
- to look awry
- to look babies
- to look back
- to look back to
- to look backward
- to look backwards
- to look beside
- to look beyond
- to look black
- to look blank
- to look blue
- to look both ways for sunday
- to look down
- to look down on
- to look down one's nose
- to look down one's nose at
- to look down upon
- to look downward
- to look downwards