What's the difference between curtail and shorten?

Curtail


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To cut off the end or tail, or any part, of; to shorten; to abridge; to diminish; to reduce.
  • (n.) The scroll termination of any architectural member, as of a step, etc.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Second, interconversion of adenine nucleotides to guanine nucleotides, is curtailed by the inhibition of IMP dehydrogenase by these same IMP analogues.
  • (2) Stringent (rel+) as well as relaxed (rel minus) strains were able to rapidly curtail their accumulation of ribonculeic acid (RNA) after a downshift imposed by decreasing glucose transport into the cell.
  • (3) If a prisoner is in the process of taking a programme this can hinder or even curtail their progress – many prisons don't offer certain programmes so if you are moved to a prison without a particular course you are back to square one when it comes to the crucial Parole Board assessment.
  • (4) Egg (embryo) production was normal for mites treated with 0.50 krad, but significantly curtailed by doses of 0.75 krad and greater.
  • (5) Conservatives have called for federal funding to be curtailed if a municipality maintains a “sanctuary” policy.
  • (6) Which manager's playing career was curtailed by a knee injury sustained when he fell out of a tree while rescuing a cat?
  • (7) Three patients developed asymptomatic cystocele or enterocele, and 5 (23%) women had a curtailed vagina.
  • (8) Addition of H-7 to DiC8- and OAG-treated oocytes stimulated the pump activity curtailed by the two latters.
  • (9) It is suggested that umDC genes can be curtailed in their mutagenic activities but that they may still participate in some other, unknown process which provides the continued stimulus for their retention.
  • (10) After treatment with PTH, the enzyme reached maximal concentrations between 12-48 h, but declined to undetectable levels by 96 h. In contrast, the inhibitory activity was secreted in a linear fashion, with the highest concentrations achieved around 72-96 h. These results suggest a complex pattern of regulation of collagenase and inhibitor secretion by the osteoblastic cell, with the steady accumulation of inhibitor perhaps being responsible for the ultimate curtailment of enzyme activity.
  • (11) The former would point to entering serious negotiations with Labour, but the latter would ultimately curtail his flexibility towards Miliband, especially in relation to austerity.
  • (12) Citing the razor-thin margin by which the NSA's bulk phone-records collection survived a vote last week in the House of Representatives , Wyden and Udall vowed to continue their push to curtail the programme.
  • (13) Internal doubts can be managed, but external criticism in the social-media age is not so easy to curtail.
  • (14) Talking to officials and politicians, it's clear that Madrid's freedom over setting its own budgets and policies has also been curtailed.
  • (15) If the Karzai government does not take steps towards reducing corruption and improving capacity for governing in the next six to 12 months, the US should substantially curtail some categories of aid and assistance.
  • (16) Furthermore, in the absence of added KL, it greatly diminishes the erythropoietin- and interleukin-3-dependent BFU-E growth in BM; whereas in FL, a wider spectrum of inhibition is observed, with CFU-Mix most severely curtailed.
  • (17) Abdominal paradox has been proposed as a valuable clinical index of fatigue and thus its presence may lead to curtailment of weaning trials.
  • (18) Although this study does not suggest a synergistic relationship between smoking and oral contraception, it shows that both the adrenal gland and sympathetic nervous system's responses will be lowered if nicotine is curtailed.
  • (19) Research on their potential should not be curtailed because of fear that they will be subject to illicit abuse.
  • (20) An awareness of TOH facilities appropriate diagnosis and treatment and curtails unnecessary diagnostic procedures.

Shorten


Definition:

  • (a.) To make short or shorter in measure, extent, or time; as, to shorten distance; to shorten a road; to shorten days of calamity.
  • (a.) To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract; as, to shorten work, an allowance of food, etc.
  • (a.) To make deficient (as to); to deprive; -- with of.
  • (a.) To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, pot liquor, or the like.
  • (v. i.) To become short or shorter; as, the day shortens in northern latitudes from June to December; a metallic rod shortens by cold.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The extent of the infectious process was limited, however, because the life span of the cultures was not significantly shortened, the yields of infectious virus per immunofluorescent cell were at all times low, and most infected cells contained only a few well-delineated small masses of antigen, suggestive of an abortive infection.
  • (2) Hearing loss at 8 kHz would shorten the I-V interval, while a loss at 4 kHz would be expected to lengthen the interval.
  • (3) Both systems indicated that the Kupffer cell modified endotoxin by enriching the lipid content of the molecule and shortening the length of the O-antigen.
  • (4) Platelet survival time in patients with Crohn's disease proved to be significantly shortened (p less than 0.001), whereas platelet turnover appeared augmented.
  • (5) Shorten said any arrangement needed to be consistent with international obligations, with asylum seekers afforded due process and their claims properly assessed.
  • (6) Rapid, on-site detection of chlamydial antigen in male FVU would shorten the infectious period by hastening diagnosis and treatment.
  • (7) Isometric exercise induces a significant shortening of both intervals although minor for QT so that the ratio significantly increases in comparison to baseline (p less than .001).
  • (8) Light-induced cone shortening provides a useful model for stuying nonmuscle contraction because it is linear, slow, and repetitive.
  • (9) In the V fibers, APD was lengthened by F, Q, and B, and shortened by L and M. The drug-induced changes in the relation between APD and CL were as in the P fibers.
  • (10) The CL was also longer in the duodenum, whereas the CD was shortened, indicating a reduction of the wave movements from the stomach antrum to the duodenum in the ranitidine periods.
  • (11) Chloride caused a significant concentration-dependent shortening of myosin rods due to destabilization of the alpha-helical double coiled rod structure.
  • (12) Strong correlations were found also between postsystolic shortening and thickening measured immediately before reperfusion and systolic shortening and thickening measured after recovery at 2-3 weeks (r = 0.73, n = 28; p less than 0.001 for shortening; r = 0.79, n = 12; p less than 0.01 for thickening).
  • (13) Slight but significant shortening of the latency of initial positivity in the evoked potential was observed after rearing in the enriched condition as compared to the data obtained from the littermates that were reared in the standard or impoverished conditions.
  • (14) When using pair stimula, barbamil shortens the period of absolute nonexcitation and the second phase of depression in the cycle of restituted H-reflexes to the second stimula in the pair.
  • (15) Accordingly, RV systolic SL shortening did not rise despite the substantial augmentation in RV outflow.
  • (16) Chloroquine administration shortened the time taken to reach peak plasma paracetamol concentration (tmax) in five of the volunteers.
  • (17) The survival time of the lambs was markedly shortened with the bubble oxygenator, although much longer than had been anticipated.
  • (18) An algorithm for the treatment of cryptococcosis complicating AIDS may shorten the duration of primary intravenous AB therapy.
  • (19) VT returned to control levels, expiratory time shortened, and breathing frequency increased.
  • (20) Isotonically, peak muscle shortening was reduced in the left muscle, whereas time to peak shortening was prolonged in the right myocardium.