curtain en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɜɹt(ə)n/ (General-American)
- /ˈkɜːtn̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
- [ˈkʰɜɹʔn̩] (General-American)
- (Received-Pronunciation) audio
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English curtine, from Old French cortine, from Late Latin cōrtīna (“curtain”), a calque from Ancient Greek.
Meanings
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(qualifier:household) A piece of cloth covering a window, bed, etc. to offer privacy and keep out light.
It is realised that the old Pullman standard sleeper, with its convertible "sections", each containing upper and lower berths, and with no greater privacy at night than the curtains drawn along both sides of a middle aisle, has had its day.
1944 November and December, “"Duplex Roomette" Sleeping Cars”, in Railway Magazine, page 324:Thus the red damask curtains which now shut out the fog-laden, drizzling atmosphere of the Marylebone Road, had cost a mere song, and yet they might have been warranted to last another thirty years. A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire.
1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0016:He drew the curtains at 11:00pm before falling asleep.
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A similar piece of cloth that separates the audience and the stage in a theater.
“H'm !” he said, “so, so—it is a tragedy in a prologue and three acts. I am going down this afternoon to see the curtain fall for the third time on what[…]will prove a good burlesque ; but it all began dramatically enough. It was last Saturday[…]that two boys, playing in the little spinney just outside Wembley Park Station, came across three large parcels done up in American cloth.[…]”
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Lisson Grove Mystery”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
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(broadly) The beginning of a show; the moment the curtain rises.
He took so long to shave his head that we arrived 45 minutes after curtain and were denied late entry.
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The flat area of wall which connects two bastions or towers; the main area of a fortified wall.
Captain Rense, beleagring the Citie of Errona for us, […] caused a forcible mine to be wrought under a great curtine of the walles […].
, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.220
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(euphemistic, in-plural, sometimes) Death, final curtain.
For life is quite absurd / And death's the final word / You must always face the curtain with a bow.
1979, Monty Python, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life:
- That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc.
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(derogatory, obsolete) A flag; an ensign.
Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose
1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
- The uninterrupted stream of fluid that falls onto a moving substrate in the process of curtain coating.
- A haircut combining a long fringe on either side of a center part or sometimes off-center, with the sides and the back kept short.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| curtains | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
ring up the curtain · curtain wall · curtain off · main curtain · lace curtain · safety curtain · meat curtains · curtain lecture · recurtain · curtain rod · the curtain falls · bedcurtain · curtain time · front-of-house curtain · Zion curtain · silicon curtain · the curtains match the drapes · curtain-sider · shower curtain · bring down the curtain · fortification curtain · beef curtains · bring the curtain down · incurtain · curtain raiser · curtain coating · air curtain · olio curtain · curtain-raiser · curtainsider · curtain bangs · curtainfic · final curtain · curtain twitcher · ring down the curtain · curtain ring · curtain-raise · encurtain · roast beef curtains · curtainwall · cafe curtains · drop curtain · uncurtain · curtainwise · bamboo curtain · tableau curtain · lace-curtain · draw the curtains · blackout curtain · house curtain · curtain call · pull down the curtain · chin curtain · curtainless · net curtain · curtain-twitcher · iron curtain · green curtain · front curtain · precurtain · curtain array · curtainlike · behind the curtain · pull back the curtain · proscenium curtain · act curtain
Hypernyms
Synonyms
Translations (262)
ms tirai (piece of cloth covering a window) · bo ཁྲ་ཡོལ (piece of cloth covering a window) · nl doek (piece of cloth in a theater) · ba пәрҙә (piece of cloth covering a window) · lv aizkars (piece of cloth covering a window) · de Vorhang (piece of cloth covering a window) · pt cortina (piece of cloth in a theater) · sl zavésa (piece of cloth covering a window) · fi verho (piece of cloth covering a window) · ms tabir (piece of cloth covering a window) · pa ਪਰਦਾ (piece of cloth in a theater) · ca cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · no teppe (piece of cloth in a theater) · mfe rido (piece of cloth covering a window) · aii ܦܸܪܣܵܐ (piece of cloth in a theater) · mi tauārai (piece of cloth covering a window) · ko 커튼 (piece of cloth covering a window) · te తెర (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh за́стор (piece of cloth in a theater) · cy llen (piece of cloth in a theater) · ps پرده (piece of cloth covering a window) · mi pīhi (piece of cloth covering a window) · it sipario (piece of cloth in a theater) · ps پېڅول (piece of cloth covering a window) · cs závěs (piece of cloth covering a window) · az pərdə (piece of cloth covering a window) · sv ridå (piece of cloth in a theater) · vec coltrìna (piece of cloth covering a window) · uk фіра́нка (piece of cloth covering a window) · sk opona (piece of cloth in a theater) · fi esirippu (piece of cloth in a theater) · ky көшөгө (piece of cloth covering a window) · ajp ستارة (piece of cloth covering a window) · my ကန့်လန့်ကာ (piece of cloth covering a window) · is tjald (piece of cloth in a theater) · tg парда (piece of cloth covering a window) · ary خامية (piece of cloth covering a window) · mk кули́са (piece of cloth in a theater) · uk заві́са (piece of cloth covering a window) · it drappo (piece of cloth covering a window) · eu errezel (piece of cloth covering a window) · uk што́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · el κουρτίνα (piece of cloth covering a window) · ja 幕 (piece of cloth in a theater) · rm umbrival (piece of cloth covering a window) · da tæppe (piece of cloth in a theater) · tr perde (piece of cloth covering a window) · sw pazia (piece of cloth in a theater) · he מָסָךְ (piece of cloth in a theater) · grc προκάλυμμα (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru гарди́на (piece of cloth covering a window) · ga cuirtín (piece of cloth covering a window) · wa gordene (piece of cloth covering a window) · hy վարագույր (piece of cloth in a theater) · se glássaliidni (piece of cloth covering a window) · pl firana (piece of cloth covering a window) · it tappezzeria (piece of cloth covering a window) · my တင်းထိမ် (piece of cloth covering a window) · rsk фиронґа (piece of cloth covering a window) · sk opona (piece of cloth covering a window) · is gardína (piece of cloth covering a window) · ta திரை (piece of cloth in a theater) · nan-hbl 窗簾仔 /窗帘仔 (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru што́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · hi पर्दा (piece of cloth covering a window) · or ପରଦା (piece of cloth covering a window) · wa toele (piece of cloth in a theater) · kxd tabir (piece of cloth covering a window) · mn ᠬᠥᠰᠢᠭᠡ (piece of cloth covering a window) · ajp برداي (piece of cloth covering a window) · hi पर्दा (piece of cloth in a theater) · mk перде (piece of cloth covering a window) · ro cortină (piece of cloth in a theater) · lo ຜ້າກັ້ງ (piece of cloth covering a window) · rsk зависа (piece of cloth covering a window) · fr rideau (piece of cloth in a theater) · sh zástor (piece of cloth covering a window) · mi ārai (piece of cloth covering a window) · cmn 窗簾 /窗帘 (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh за̑вјеса (piece of cloth in a theater) · csb gardina (piece of cloth covering a window) · is gluggatjald (piece of cloth covering a window) · cs opona (piece of cloth in a theater) · he וִילוֹן (piece of cloth covering a window) · ajp جلالة (piece of cloth covering a window) · prs پَرْدَه (piece of cloth covering a window) · et eesriie (piece of cloth covering a window) · vi ri-đô (piece of cloth covering a window) · ba шаршау (piece of cloth in a theater) · tk perde (piece of cloth covering a window) · aii ܦܲܪܕܵܐ (piece of cloth covering a window) · nl gordijn (piece of cloth covering a window) · lo ສາກ (piece of cloth covering a window) · be карты́на (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh zástor (piece of cloth in a theater) · uk портьє́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · be засло́на (piece of cloth covering a window) · bg перде́ (piece of cloth covering a window) · ar سِتَارَة (piece of cloth covering a window) · be фіра́нка (piece of cloth covering a window) · ur پَرْدَہ (piece of cloth covering a window) · nn forheng (piece of cloth in a theater) · tr perde (piece of cloth in a theater) · tl kurtina (piece of cloth in a theater) · arz ستارة (piece of cloth covering a window) · rm sumbrival (piece of cloth covering a window) · pl zasłonka (piece of cloth covering a window) · rm tenda (piece of cloth covering a window) · unm kpapehële (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh за̑веса (piece of cloth covering a window) · oc cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh zȃvesa (piece of cloth covering a window) · mi ārei (piece of cloth covering a window) · aht naghicʼetʼi (piece of cloth covering a window) · aii ܦܸܪܣܵܐ (piece of cloth covering a window) · gu ઢાંકપિછોડો (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru занаве́ска (piece of cloth covering a window) · pnb پَرْدَہ (piece of cloth in a theater) · nb gardin (piece of cloth covering a window) · ajp برداية (piece of cloth covering a window) · ajp ستار (piece of cloth covering a window) · lt užuolaida (piece of cloth covering a window) · tk tuty (piece of cloth covering a window) · la plagula (piece of cloth covering a window) · hu firhang (piece of cloth covering a window) · it tendaggio (piece of cloth covering a window) · sw pazia (piece of cloth covering a window) · alt кӧжӧгӧ (piece of cloth covering a window) · fo gluggatjald (piece of cloth covering a window) · ko 커튼 (piece of cloth in a theater) · vi màn (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh zȃvjesa (piece of cloth in a theater) · vi rèm (piece of cloth covering a window) · mi tiāroa (in a fortification the main area of a fortified wall.) · fo gardina (piece of cloth covering a window) · be занаве́ска (piece of cloth covering a window) · gd cùirtear (piece of cloth in a theater) · sh за̑веса (piece of cloth in a theater) · so daah (piece of cloth covering a window) · it drappeggio (piece of cloth covering a window) · cy llen (piece of cloth covering a window) · io kurteno (piece of cloth covering a window) · ta திரைச்சீலை (piece of cloth covering a window) · fa-ira پَرْدِه (piece of cloth in a theater) · rm curtgina (piece of cloth covering a window) · ja 緞帳 (piece of cloth in a theater) · uk курти́на (piece of cloth covering a window) · es telón (piece of cloth in a theater) · eu gortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · id gorden (piece of cloth covering a window) · tl kurtina (piece of cloth covering a window) · uz parda (piece of cloth covering a window) · ro draperie (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh zȃvjesa (piece of cloth covering a window) · sl zavésa (piece of cloth in a theater) · nn teppe (piece of cloth in a theater) · ckb پەردە (piece of cloth covering a window) · ka ფარდა (piece of cloth covering a window) · uk засло́на (piece of cloth covering a window) · th ม่าน (piece of cloth covering a window) · et kardin (piece of cloth covering a window) · la sīparium (piece of cloth in a theater) · cy cyrten (piece of cloth covering a window) · bo ཡོལ་བ (piece of cloth covering a window) · id tirai (piece of cloth covering a window) · ang wāgrift (piece of cloth covering a window) · no forheng (piece of cloth in a theater) · bg заве́са (piece of cloth in a theater) · ota پرده (piece of cloth covering a window) · de Vorhang (piece of cloth in a theater) · lo ວິສູດ (piece of cloth covering a window) · es cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · cmn 幕布 (piece of cloth in a theater) · el αυλαία (piece of cloth in a theater) · hu függöny (piece of cloth covering a window) · hy վարագույր (piece of cloth covering a window) · be што́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · nan-hbl 窗仔簾 /窗仔帘 (piece of cloth covering a window) · ga brat (piece of cloth in a theater) · dsb gardina (piece of cloth covering a window) · it cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · ja 引き幕 (piece of cloth in a theater) · gl cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · nan-hbl kha-tián (piece of cloth covering a window) · lo ຜ້າມ່ານ (piece of cloth covering a window) · sv gardin (piece of cloth covering a window) · ug پەردە (piece of cloth covering a window) · ky парда (piece of cloth covering a window) · de Gardine (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh zȃvesa (piece of cloth in a theater) · lb Rido (piece of cloth covering a window) · az pərdə (piece of cloth in a theater) · eo kurteno (piece of cloth in a theater) · pl firanka (piece of cloth covering a window) · gd cùirtear (piece of cloth covering a window) · fa-ira پَرْدِه (piece of cloth covering a window) · eo kurteno (piece of cloth covering a window) · bn পরদা (piece of cloth covering a window) · la aulaeum (piece of cloth covering a window) · ur پَرْدَہ (piece of cloth in a theater) · is leikhústjald (piece of cloth in a theater) · eu antzoki-oihal (piece of cloth in a theater) · sq perde (piece of cloth covering a window) · cmn 簾子 /帘子 (piece of cloth covering a window) · ms langsir (piece of cloth covering a window) · km វាំងនន (piece of cloth covering a window) · ota پرده (piece of cloth in a theater) · mk завеса (piece of cloth covering a window) · pnb پَرْدَہ (piece of cloth covering a window) · ro perdea (piece of cloth covering a window) · yi פֿירהאַנג (piece of cloth covering a window) · mn хөшиг (piece of cloth covering a window) · da gardin (piece of cloth covering a window) · lo ມ່ານ (piece of cloth covering a window) · bg заве́са (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh за̑вјеса (piece of cloth covering a window) · izh zanaveska (piece of cloth covering a window) · grc αὐλαία (piece of cloth in a theater) · nn gardin (piece of cloth covering a window) · cv чаршав (piece of cloth covering a window) · ka ფარდა (piece of cloth in a theater) · uk занаві́ска (piece of cloth covering a window) · pl kurtyna (piece of cloth in a theater) · fr rideau (piece of cloth covering a window) · id tabir (piece of cloth covering a window) · pdt Väahank (piece of cloth covering a window) · be парцье́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · mn хөшиг (piece of cloth in a theater) · yue 窗簾 /窗帘 (piece of cloth covering a window) · sv skynke (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru портье́ра (piece of cloth covering a window) · pa ਪਰਦਾ (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru кули́са (piece of cloth in a theater) · it tenda (piece of cloth covering a window) · atv кӧжӧӧ (piece of cloth covering a window) · sh за́стор (piece of cloth covering a window) · aii ܦܲܪܕܵܐ (piece of cloth in a theater) · pt cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · mn ᠬᠥᠰᠢᠭᠡ (piece of cloth in a theater) · nan-hbl 窗仔 (piece of cloth covering a window) · am መጋረጃ (piece of cloth covering a window) · kk перде (piece of cloth covering a window) · sv förhänge (piece of cloth covering a window) · it tendina (piece of cloth covering a window) · tt пәрдә (piece of cloth covering a window) · se láseliidni (piece of cloth covering a window) · ru за́навес (piece of cloth in a theater) · mt purtiera (piece of cloth covering a window) · th ผ้าม่าน (piece of cloth covering a window) · se lássaliidni (piece of cloth covering a window) · lo ເກີ້ງ (piece of cloth covering a window) · sms zääˊvesǩ (piece of cloth covering a window) · prs پَرْدَه (piece of cloth in a theater) · apc برداية (piece of cloth covering a window) · pl zasłona (piece of cloth covering a window) · vi màn cửa (piece of cloth covering a window) · ast cortina (piece of cloth covering a window) · ja カーテン (piece of cloth covering a window) · cs záclona (piece of cloth covering a window) · ta திரை (piece of cloth covering a window) · kmr perde (piece of cloth covering a window) · ca teló (piece of cloth in a theater)