Cursoriness
(Cur"so*ri*ness), n. The quality of being cursory; superficial performance; as, cursoriness
of view.
Cursory
(Cur"so*ry) a. [L. cursorius, fr. cursor. See Cursor.]
1. Running about; not stationary. [Obs.]
2. Characterized by haste; hastily or superficially performed; slight; superficial; careless.
Events far too important to be treated in a cursory manner.
Hallam.
Curst
(Curst) imp. & p. p. of Curse.
Curst
(Curst), a. [SeeCurse.] Froward; malignant; mischievous; malicious; snarling. [Obs.]
Though his mind
Be ne'er so curst, his tonque is kind.
Crashaw.
Curstfully
(Curst"ful*ly) adv. Peevishly; vexatiously; detestably. [Obs.] "Curstfully mad." Marston.
Curstness
(Curst"ness) n. Peevishness; malignity; frowardness; crabbedness; surliness. [Obs.] Shak.
Curt
(Curt) a. [L. curtus; cf. Skr. kart to cut. Cf. Curtail.] Characterized by excessive brevity; short; rudely
concise; as, curt limits; a curt answer.
The curt, yet comprehensive reply.
W. Irving.
Curtail
(Cur*tail") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Curtailed (- tald"); p. pr. & vb. n. Curtailing.] [See Curtal.] To
cut off the end or tail, or any part, of; to shorten; to abridge; to diminish; to reduce.
I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion.
Shak.
Our incomes have been curtailed; his salary has been doubled.
Macaulay.
Curtail
(Cur"tail) n. The scroll termination of any architectural member, as of a step, etc.
Curtail dog
(Cur"tail dog`) A dog with a docked tail; formerly, the dog of a person not qualified to course,
which, by the forest laws, must have its tail cut short, partly as a mark, and partly from a notion that the
tail is necessary to a dog in running; hence, a dog not fit for sporting.
Hope is a curtail dog in some affairs.
Shak.
Curtailer
(Cur*tail"er) n. One who curtails.
Curtailment
(Cur*tail"ment) n. The act or result of curtailing or cutting off. Bancroft.
Curtain
(Cur"tain) n. [OE. cortin, curtin,fr. OF. cortine, curtine, F. courtine, LL. cortina, curtian also,
small court, small inclosure surrounded by walls, from cortis court. See Court.]
1. A hanging screen intended to darken or conceal, and admitting of being drawn back or up, and reclosed
at pleasure; esp., drapery of cloth or lace hanging round a bed or at a window; in theaters, and like places,
a movable screen for concealing the stage.
2. (Fort.) That part of the rampart and parapet which is between two bastions or two gates. See Illustrations
of Ravelin and Bastion.
3. (Arch.) That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc.
