curtain

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] a piece of fabric that is hung to cover a window: to draw / pull / close the curtains (= to pull them across the window so they cover it) * to draw / draw back / pull back the curtains (= to open them, so that the window is no longer covered) * It was ten in the morning but the curtains were still drawn (= closed). * a pair of curtains seealsoDRAPE 2 (AmE) = NETCURTAIN 3 [C] a piece of fabric that is hung up as a screen in a room or around a bed, for example: a shower curtain seealsoTHEIRONCURTAIN 4 [sing.] a piece of thick, heavy fabric that hangs in front of the stage in the theatre: The audience was waiting for the curtain to rise (= for the play to begin). * There was tremendous applause when the curtain came down (= the play ended). * We left just before the final curtain. * (figurative) The curtain has fallen on her long and distinguished career (= her career has ended). * (figurative) It's time to face the final curtain (= the end; death). 5 [C,usually sing.] a thing that covers, hides or protects sth: a curtain of rain / smoke * She pushed back the curtain of brown hair from her eyes. IDIOMS be curtains (for sb) (informal) to be a situation without hope or that you cannot escape from: When I saw he had a gun, I thought it was curtains for me. bring down the curtain on sth