In the temple of Jerusalem, a curtain separated the seating quarters of the priests from the temple's holiest place reserved for the Ark of the Covenant.
The stage act of lifting and dropping the curtains at the beginning and end of the play has led to the phrases also meaning “to reveal” and “to conceal” respectively.
A “curtain call” is usually a continuous round of applause for the performers to return to the stage at the end of a play.
The rise of nuclear families has led to among other things, the growth of the curtain and draperies industries.
