Lewis & Short

curtus, a, um, adj. [root in Sanscr. kart, to cut; cf. Germ. kurz], shortened, mutilated, broken, short (class.; most freq. in the poets).

  1. I. Lit.: dolia, pots (chamber vessels), Lucr. 4, 1026; cf. vasa, Juv. 3, 271: pergula, Prop. 4 (5), 5, 70: testa, Mart. 3, 82, 3; cf. testu, Ov. F. 2, 645 al.. calix, Mart. 1, 92, 6: curtum temone jugum, Juv. 10, 135: latus, Mart. 12, 32, 13: Judaei, i. e. circumcised, Hor. S. 1, 9, 70; cf. equus, castrated, Prop. 4 (5), 1, 20; but curto mulo, with shortened tail ( = curtatā caudā), Hor. S. 1, 6, 104.
  2. II. Trop.: res, Hor. C. 3, 24, 64 (cf. curto, II.): centussis, a clipped piece, Pers. 5, 191: sententia quasi curta, Cic. Fin. 4, 14, 36: fides ingratae patriae, Juv. 14, 166 al.
    Of defective, incomplete discourse, Cic. Or. 50, 168; 51, 173; Lact. 6, 15.