curfew
KER-fyoo
/ˈkɜːrfjuː/
A regulation requiring people to remain indoors between specified hours, typically at night.
In housing, refers to mandatory closing hours for residence doors or guest departure deadlines.
The story behind the word. From Anglo-Norman French 'couvre-feu', literally meaning 'cover fire' (from 'couvrir' to cover + 'feu' fire). In medieval European towns, a bell sounded at sunset ordering residents to extinguish or cover all hearth fires to prevent devastating wooden city fires.
Word relationships
- lockout hour: 'Lockout hour' describes the literal lock time, whereas 'curfew' is the rule/policy itself.
- restriction: 'Restriction' is a broader term for any rule limiting behavior.
- open access: Unrestricted entry at all hours.
Commonly confused with
- few: 'Few' is a quantifier meaning not many; 'curfew' is an evening restriction rule.
Collocations
- impose a curfew
- strict curfew
- break curfew
- curfew hour
Example sentences
- "First-year students must return to the building before the 10:00 PM curfew." Boarding house rules
- "Security guards lock the primary gates after curfew to protect resident safety." Campus security memo
Memory hook
Cover the fire before bed = Curfew time. Cover fire = Night rule.
When not to use
Do not use to describe arbitrary daytime rules; curfew strictly applies to evening or nighttime restrictions.
Fun facts
- William the Conqueror famously enforced a strict 8 PM Norman curfew bell across England in 1068 to prevent Anglo-Saxon nighttime rebellions.
Related words
Explore more words
curfew violation, curtail, compulsory, ban, loitering, nocturnal
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