to ring down the curtain
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To bring a matter to an end. A theatrical term. When the play is over, the bell rings and the curtain comes down.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to ring down the curtain” mean?
To bring a matter to an end. A theatrical term. When the play is over, the bell rings and the curtain comes down.
Is “to ring down the curtain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.