Curtain

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: cur=tain

CIDE DICTIONARY

Curtain, n. [OE.cortin, curtin,fr. OF. cortine, curtine, F. courtine, LL. cortina, curtian (in senses 1 and 2), also, small court, small inclosure surrounded by walls, from cortis court. See Court.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  That part of the rampart and parapet which is between two bastions or two gates. See Illustrations of Ravelin and Bastion.  [1913 Webster]
•  That part of a wall of a building which is between two pavilions, towers, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  A flag; an ensign; -- in contempt.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

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

Curtain, v. t. 

 To inclose as with curtains; to furnish with curtains.  [1913 Webster]
"So when the sun in bed
Curtained with cloudy red."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Curtain, n. & v.
--n.
1 a piece of cloth etc. hung up as a screen, usu. moveable sideways or upwards, esp. at a window or between the stage and auditorium of a theatre.
2 Theatr. a the rise or fall of the stage curtain at the beginning or end of an act or scene. b = curtain-call.
3 a partition or cover.
4 (in pl.) sl. the end.
--v.tr.
1 furnish or cover with a curtain or curtains.
2 (foll. by off) shut off with a curtain or curtains.

Idiom

curtain-call Theatr. an audience's summons to actor(s) to take a bow after the fall of the curtain. curtain-fire Mil. a concentration of rapid and continuous fire. curtain lecture a wife's private reproof to her husband, orig. behind bed-curtains. curtain-raiser
1 Theatr. a piece prefaced to the main performance.
2 a preliminary event. curtain-wall 1 Fortification the plain wall of a fortified place, connecting two towers etc.
2 Archit. a piece of plain wall not supporting a roof.

Etymology

ME f. OF cortine f. LL cortina transl. Gk aulaia f. aule court

THESAURUS

Curtain

Z, abatis, act, act drop, advanced work, afterpiece, apodosis, apply to, asbestos, asbestos board, awning, backdrop, balistraria, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, barbed-wire entanglement, barbican, barricade, barrier, barrier of secrecy, bartizan, bastion, batten, battlement, beach umbrella, becloud, befog, bit, blackout, blanket, blind, block, blockade, border, bottleneck, breastwork, bulwark, camouflage, canopy, casemate, catastrophe, catch, ceasing, censorship, cessation, chaser, cheval-de-frise, circumvallation, cloak, cloth, clothe, cloud, coat, coda, conceal, conclusion, consummation, contravallation, cope, cordon, coulisse, counterscarp, counterweight, cover, cover up, coverage, covering, covert, coverture, cowl, cowling, crack of doom, culmination, curtain board, curtain call, curtain raiser, curtains, cyclorama, death, decease, decor, demibastion, denouement, destination, destiny, determent, deterrent, difficulty, dike, disguise, dissemble, distract attention from, divertimento, divertissement, doom, drape, drapery, draw the curtains, drawback, drawbridge, drop, drop curtain, earthwork, eclipse, effect, enclosure, end, end point, ending, ensconce, enshroud, entanglement, envelop, envoi, epilogue, escarp, escarpment, eschatology, exode, exodus, expiration, expository scene, fate, fence, fieldwork, film, final solution, final twitch, final words, finale, finality, finis, finish, fire curtain, flat, flipper, fortalice, fortification, glacis, gloss over, goal, guise, hang-up, hanging, hazard, hide, hitch, hoke act, hood, housing, hurdle, hush-up, interlude, intermezzo, intermission, introduction, iron curtain, ironbound security, izzard, joker, keep under cover, last, last breath, last gasp, last things, last trumpet, last words, latter end, lay on, lay over, light shield, loophole, lunette, machicolation, mantelet, mantle, mask, merlon, mound, muffle, number, oath of secrecy, obduce, obfuscate, objection, obscure, obstacle, obstruction, obstructive, occult, official secrecy, omega, one small difficulty, outwork, overlay, overshadow, overspread, palisade, pall, parados, parapet, parasol, payoff, period, peroration, portcullis, postern gate, prologue, put on, quietus, rag, rampart, ravelin, redan, redoubt, repression, resolution, resting place, routine, rub, sally port, scarp, scene, scenery, sconce, screen, scum, seal of secrecy, security, shade, shader, shadow, shelter, shield, shroud, shtick, shutter, side scene, sketch, skit, slur over, smothering, snag, song and dance, spread over, stage screw, stand-up comedy act, stifling, stockade, stoppage, stopping place, striptease, stumbling block, stumbling stone, sunblind, sunshade, superimpose, superpose, suppression, swan song, tab, tableau, teaser, tenaille, term, terminal, termination, terminus, tormentor, transformation, transformation scene, turn, umbrella, vallation, vallum, varnish, veil, veil of secrecy, vestment, whitewash, windup, wing, wingcut, woodcut, work, wraps

ROGET THESAURUS

Curtain

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.

Shade

N shade, awning, parasol, sunshade, umbrella, chick, portiere, screen, curtain, shutter, blind, gauze, veil, chador, mantle, mask, cloud, mist, gathering, of clouds, umbrage, glade, shadow, beach umbrella, folding umbrella, shady, umbrageous, welcome ye shades! ye bowery thickets hail.

Concealment

VB conceal, hide, secrete, put out of sight, lock up, seal up, bottle up, encrypt, encode, cipher, cover, screen, cloak, veil, shroud, cover up one's tracks, screen from sight, screen from observation, drawing the veil, draw the curtain, close the curtain, curtain, shade, eclipse, throw a view over, be cloud, be mask, mask, disguise, ensconce, muffle, smother, befog, whisper, keep from, keep back, keep to oneself, keep snug, keep close, keep secret, keep dark, bury, sink, suppress, keep from, keep from out of view, keep from out of sight, keep in the shade, throw into the shade, throw into background, stifle, hush up, smother, withhold, reserve, fence with a question, ignore, keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, hold one's tongue, make no sign, not let it go further, not breathe a word, not breathe a syllable about, not let the right hand know what the left is doing, hide one's light under a bushel, bury one's talent in a napkin, keep in the dark, leave in the dark, keep in the ignorance, blind, blind the eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, mystify, puzzle, bamboozle, be concealed, suffer an eclipse, retire from sight, couch, hide oneself, lie hid, lie in perdu, lie in close, lie in ambush (ambush), seclude oneself, lurk, sneak, skulk, slink, prowl, steal into, steal out of, steal by, steal along, play at bopeep, play at hide and seek, hide in holes and corners, still hunt.

Ambush

N ambush, camouflage, mimicry, hiding place, secret place, secret drawer, recess, hold, holes and corners, closet, crypt, adytum, abditory, oubliette, ambush, ambuscade, stalking horse, lurking hole, lurking place, secret path, back stairs, retreat, screen, cover, shade, blinker, veil, curtain, blind, cloak, cloud, mask, visor, vizor, disguise, masquerade dress, domino, pitfall, trap, camouflaged, hidden, concealed, aux aguets.