What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Curtail vs Prevent - What's the difference?

curtail | prevent |

In lang=en terms the difference between curtail and prevent

is that curtail is to shorten or abridge the duration of something; to truncate while prevent is to stop; to keep (from happening).

As verbs the difference between curtail and prevent

is that curtail is (obsolete) to cut short the tail of an animal while prevent is to stop; to keep (from happening).

As a noun curtail

is (architecture) a scroll termination, as of a step, etc.

curtail

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To cut short the tail of an animal
    • ''Curtailing horses procured long horse-hair.
  • To shorten or abridge the duration of something; to truncate.
    • When the audience grew restless, the speaker curtailed her speech.
  • (figuratively) To limit or restrict, keep in check.
    • Their efforts to curtail spending didn't quite succeed.
  • * Macaulay
    • Our incomes have been curtailed ; his salary has been doubled.

    Synonyms

    * (animal's tail) crop, dock * shorten * behedge, control, limit, restrain

    Derived terms

    * curtailer * curtailment

    Related terms

    * curt * curtal

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (architecture) A scroll termination, as of a step, etc.

    • Anagrams

    *

    prevent

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To stop; to keep (from happening).
    • I brushed my teeth to prevent them from going yellow.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Tom Fordyce , title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Scotland must now hope Georgia produce a huge upset and beat Argentina by at least eight points in Sunday's final Pool B match to prevent them failing to make the last eight for the first time in World Cup history.}}
  • * 1897 , Henry James, What Maisie Knew :
    • ‘I think you must be mad, and she shall not have a glimpse of it while I'm here to prevent !’
  • (obsolete) To come before; to precede.
  • * Bible, 1 Thess. iv. 15
    • We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
  • * Book of Common Prayer
    • We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us.
  • * Prior
    • Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen.
  • (obsolete) To outdo, surpass.
  • * 1596 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , IV.i:
    • With that he put his spurres vnto his steed, / With speare in rest, and toward him did fare, / Like shaft out of a bow preuenting speed.
  • (obsolete) To be beforehand with; to anticipate.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • their ready guilt preventing thy commands

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * preventative * prevention * preventive