I. cur ‧ tain 1 S3 W3 /ˈkɜːtn $ ˈkɜːrtn/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: curtine , from Late Latin cortina , from Latin cohors 'enclosure, court' ; ⇨ ↑ cohort ]
1 . a piece of hanging cloth that can be pulled across to cover a window, divide a room etc:
red velvet curtains
draw/close/pull the curtains
Ella drew the curtains and switched the light on.
draw back/open the curtains
Shall I open the curtains?
curtain rail/pole/rod (=for hanging a curtain on)
2 . a sheet of heavy material that comes down at the front of the stage in a theatre
the curtain goes up/rises
Before the curtain went up, the dancers took their places on stage.
the curtain comes down/falls
3 . written a thick layer of something that stops anything behind it from being seen
curtain of
a curtain of smoke
4 . bring down the curtain on something informal to cause or mark the end of a situation or period of time:
The decision brought down the curtain on a 30-year career.
5 . (it’ll) be curtains for somebody/something informal used to say that someone will die or that something will end
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ draw/close/pull the curtains (=close them)
The room was dark because the curtains were drawn.
▪ open/draw (back)/pull back the curtains (=open them)
Would you mind opening the curtains?
▪ curtains hang
Bright red curtains hung cheerfully at all the windows.
▪ put up/hang curtains (=fix new curtains at a window )
She was standing on a ladder hanging some new curtains.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + curtain
▪ heavy/thick curtains (=made of thick material)
Heavy curtains help to keep the house warm.
▪ velvet/net/lace etc curtains (=made of velvet, net etc)
▪ a shower curtain (=for keeping the water in the shower)
■ curtain + NOUN
▪ a curtain rail/pole/rod (=a long stick for hanging a curtain)
Velvet can be heavy so choose a strong curtain pole.
▪ curtain fabric/material (=for making curtains)
I need to go to town to buy some curtain fabric.
▪ curtain hooks (=for attaching curtains to a rail)
The curtain has loops, so you don't need curtain hooks.
II. curtain 2 BrE AmE verb
curtain something ↔ off phrasal verb
to separate one area, room etc from another by hanging a curtain between them:
The room was curtained off by red drapes.