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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [curtain]

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curtain

CURTAIN, n. [Low L., in fortification. This word may be from the root of court, and from the sense of separating.]

1. A cloth hanging round a bed, or at a window, which may be contracted, spread or drawn aside at pleasure; intended for ornament, or for use. Also, the hangings about the ark, among the Israelites.

2. A cloth-hanging used in theaters, to conceal the stage from the spectators. This is raised or let down by cords. Hence the phrases, to drop the curtain, to close the scene, to end; to raise the curtain or the curtain will rise, to denote the opening of the play. And to draw the curtain, is to close it, to shut out the light or to conceal an object; or to open it and disclose the object. Behind the curtain, in concealment, in secret.

3. In fortification, that part of the rampart which is between the flanks of two bastions, bordered with a parapet five feet high, behind which the soldiers stand to fire on the covered way and into the moat.

4. In scripture, tents; dwellings. Habakkuk 3:7.

CURTAIN, v.t. To inclose with curtains; to furnish with curtains.



Evolution (or devolution) of this word [curtain]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

CURTAIN, n. [Low L., in fortification. This word may be from the root of court, and from the sense of separating.]

1. A cloth hanging round a bed, or at a window, which may be contracted, spread or drawn aside at pleasure; intended for ornament, or for use. Also, the hangings about the ark, among the Israelites.

2. A cloth-hanging used in theaters, to conceal the stage from the spectators. This is raised or let down by cords. Hence the phrases, to drop the curtain, to close the scene, to end; to raise the curtain or the curtain will rise, to denote the opening of the play. And to draw the curtain, is to close it, to shut out the light or to conceal an object; or to open it and disclose the object. Behind the curtain, in concealment, in secret.

3. In fortification, that part of the rampart which is between the flanks of two bastions, bordered with a parapet five feet high, behind which the soldiers stand to fire on the covered way and into the moat.

4. In scripture, tents; dwellings. Habakkuk 3:7.

CURTAIN, v.t. To inclose with curtains; to furnish with curtains.


CUR'TAIN, n. [kur'tin; It. cortina; Low L. Sp. and Port. id.; D. gordyn; Fr. courtine, in fortification. This word may be from the root of court, and from the sense of separating. I think it is not a contraction of the It. copertina.]

  1. A cloth hanging round a bed, or at a window, which may be contracted, spread, or drawn aside at pleasure; intended for ornament, or for use. Also, the hangings about the ark, among the Israelites.
  2. A cloth-hanging used in theaters, to conceal the stage from the spectators. This is raised or let down by cords. Hence the phrases, to drop the curtain, to close the scene, to end; to raise the curtain, or the curtain will rise, to denote the opening of the play. And to draw the curtain, is to close it, to shut out the light, or to conceal an object; or to open it and disclose the object. Behind the curtain, in concealment, in secret.
  3. In fortification, that part of the rampart which is between the flanks of two bastions, bordered with a parapet five feet high, behind which the soldiers stand to fire on the covered way, and into the moat. – Encyc.
  4. In Scripture, tents; dwellings. – Hab. iii. 7.

CUR'TAIN, v.t.

To inclose with curtains; to furnish with curtains. – Shak.


Cur"tain
  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. To inclose as with curtains] to furnish with curtains.

    So when the sun in bed
    Curtained with cloudy red.
    Milton.

  3. That part of the rampart and parapet which is between two bastions or two gates. See Illustrations of Ravelin and Bastion.
  4. That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc.
  5. A flag; an ensign; -- in contempt.

    [Obs.] Shak.

    Behind the curtain, in concealment; in secret. -- Curtain lecture, a querulous lecture given by a wife to her husband within the bed curtains, or in bed. Jerrold.

    A curtain lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long- suffering.
    W. Irving.

    -- The curtain falls, the performance closes. -- The curtain rises, the performance begins. -- To draw the curtain, to close it over an object, or to remove it; hence: (a) To hide or to disclose an object. (b) To commence or close a performance. -- To drop the curtain, to end the tale, or close the performance.

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Curtain

CURTAIN, noun [Low Latin , in fortification. This word may be from the root of court, and from the sense of separating.]

1. A cloth hanging round a bed, or at a window, which may be contracted, spread or drawn aside at pleasure; intended for ornament, or for use. Also, the hangings about the ark, among the Israelites.

2. A cloth-hanging used in theaters, to conceal the stage from the spectators. This is raised or let down by cords. Hence the phrases, to drop the curtain to close the scene, to end; to raise the curtain or the curtain will rise, to denote the opening of the play. And to draw the curtain is to close it, to shut out the light or to conceal an object; or to open it and disclose the object. Behind the curtain in concealment, in secret.

3. In fortification, that part of the rampart which is between the flanks of two bastions, bordered with a parapet five feet high, behind which the soldiers stand to fire on the covered way and into the moat.

4. In scripture, tents; dwellings. Habakkuk 3:7.

CURTAIN, verb transitive To inclose with curtains; to furnish with curtains.

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Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

Random Word

glisteringly

GLIS'TERINGLY, adv. With shining luster.

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