curtailment

/kə:'teilmənt/

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Word: Curtailment

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: "Curtailment" refers to the act of reducing or limiting something. It can mean cutting down on expenses to save money, stopping the publication of a book or article, or simply reducing the duration of something.

Simple Explanation:

When you curtail something, you are making it smaller or shorter. For example, if you usually spend a lot of money, but now you decide to spend less, you are practicing curtailment.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "curtailment" when discussing reductions in spending, time, or availability of something.
• It is often used in formal or academic contexts.

Examples:

1. Financial Context: "The company announced a curtailment of its budget to ensure it can stay financially stable."
2. Publication Context: "Due to the controversy, there was a curtailment of the book's release."
3. Time Context: "The curtailment of the event's duration disappointed many attendees."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced discussions, "curtailment" can refer to political or social issues, such as the curtailment of civil liberties during a state of emergency.

Word Variants:

• Curtail (verb): To cut short or reduce something. Example: "They decided to curtail their vacation plans."
• Curtailment (noun): The act of curtailing. Example: "The curtailment of services affected many customers."

Different Meanings:

1. Financial Curtailment: Reducing expenses to save money.
2. Publication Curtailment: Withholding or stopping the release of written works.
3. Temporal Curtailment: Reducing the time allotted for an event or activity.

Synonyms:

• Reduction
• Cutback
• Decrease
• Limitation
• Contraction

Related Idioms:

• "Cut back on": To reduce the amount spent or used. Example: "We need to cut back on unnecessary expenses."
• "Trim the fat": To remove unnecessary expenses or elements. Example: "The manager decided to trim the fat from the project budget."

Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific phrasal verbs directly related to "curtailment," but you might use "cut down on" in a similar context. Example: "We need to cut down on our spending."

Summary:

"Curtailment" is about making something smaller or shorter, often related to spending, publication, or time.

Academic

Noun

1. the reduction of expenditures in order to become financially stable
2. the act of withholding or withdrawing some book or writing from publication or circulation
   • a suppression of the newspaper
3. the temporal property of being cut short

Synonyms

• retrenchment
• downsizing
• suppression