Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CUR-TAIL', v.t. [composed of L. curtus, Fr. court, short, and tailler, to cut; taille, edge.]

To shorten; to cut off the end or a part; as, to curtail words. Hence, in a more general sense, to shorten in any manner; to abridge; to diminish; as, to curtail our privileges. It is followed by of before the thing shortened. His name was curtailed of three letters. We are curtailed of our rights.