net curtain
1
2.8
- noun
- UK
:
cortina de red
- The patio door is ajar, the net curtain billowing.
Examples
-
The house was built in the Arab style, a big old dwelling, all ancient brown wood and very run-down, the windows covered in shabby, faded net curtains, and there was a rotting, carved wooden balcony jutting out from the first floor.
Fiction book (2000) -
The living room was cozy, with light streaming through the net curtain while keeping prying eyes outside.
-
And my family run a net curtains business.
-
A curious neighbor peers from behind a net curtain.
Fiction book (1992) -
The windows were masked by net curtains.
Fiction book (1994) -
I clearly remember the thick net curtains, which almost entirely obscured the view of Teguri Street (trees and a fence—or only trees—and other things, of course).
Academic text (2007) -
She adjusted the net curtain to let in more sunlight without compromising her privacy.
-
The gentle breeze caused the net curtain to flutter, creating a soft, inviting atmosphere in the room.
Synonyms
312
1.0
A piece of hanging cloth used to cover a window
3
4.1
A thin decorative cloth for a window that lets light in but hides the view
How Sheer
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun-noun compound is fully compositional: 'net' (mesh fabric) modifies 'curtain', so the phrase denotes a curtain made of net-like fabric. This descriptive, literal formation is cross-linguistically common and follows regular English compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Net curtain names a thin net-like curtain with tiny holes. Because the 'net' lets 'light' in but stops people outside from seeing clearly, net curtain now means a light, see-through curtain that gives some privacy while letting daylight into a room.