Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Curtal

Curtal (kûr"tal) , adjective

[Old French courtault, French courtaud, having a docked tail (compare Italian cortaldo), from court short, Latin curtus. See Curt, and Curtail.]

Curt; brief; laconic.
Essays and curtal aphorisms. — Milton
Collocations (1)
Curtal dog , See Curtail dog.

Curtal , noun

A horse with a docked tail; hence, anything cut short. [Obsolete] — Nares