— curtainless , adj.
/kerr"tn/ , n.
1. a hanging piece of fabric used to shut out the light from a window, adorn a room, increase privacy, etc.
2. a movable or folding screen used for similar purposes.
3. Chiefly New Eng. a window shade.
4. Theat.
a. a set of hanging drapery for concealing all or part of the stage or set from the view of the audience.
b. the act or time of raising or opening a curtain at the start of a performance: an 8:30 curtain.
c. the end of a scene or act indicated by the closing or falling of a curtain: first-act curtain.
d. an effect, line, or plot solution at the conclusion of a performance: a strong curtain; weak curtain.
e. music signaling the end of a radio or television performance.
f. (used as a direction in a script of a play to indicate that a scene or act is concluded.)
5. anything that shuts off, covers, or conceals: a curtain of artillery fire.
6. Archit. a relatively flat or featureless extent of wall between two pavilions or the like.
7. Fort. the part of a wall or rampart connecting two bastions, towers, or the like.
8. curtains , Slang. the end; death, esp. by violence: It looked like curtains for another mobster.
9. draw the curtain on or over ,
a. to bring to a close: to draw the curtain on a long career of public service.
b. to keep secret.
10. lift the curtain on ,
a. to commence; start.
b. to make known or public; disclose: to lift the curtain on a new scientific discovery.
v.t.
11. to provide, shut off, conceal, or adorn with, or as if with, a curtain.
[ 1250-1300; ME co ( u ) rtine cortina, prob. equiv. to co ( ho ) rt- (s. of cohors; see COURT) + -ina -INE 1 , as calque of Gk aulaía curtain, deriv. of aulé courtyard ]
Syn. 1. drapery, portiere, lambrequin, valance. 1, 3 . CURTAIN, BLIND, SHADE, SHUTTER agree in being covers for a window, to shut out light or keep persons from looking in. CURTAIN, BLIND, and SHADE may mean a cover, usually of cloth, which can be rolled up and down inside the window. CURTAIN, however, may also refer to a drapery at a window; and a Venetian BLIND consists of slats mounted on tapes for drawing up or down and varying the pitch of the slats. BLIND and SHUTTER may mean a cover made of two wooden frames with movable slats, attached by hinges outside a window and pulled together or opened at will. SHUTTERS may mean also a set of panels (wooden or iron) put up outside small shops or stores at closing time.
Regional Variation. 3. See window shade .