Word
curfew
Phoneticscur·few
US/ˈkɝfju/
UK/kˈɜːfjuː/
Definitions
01a stay-at-home rule
n. a law or rule that requires you to be home by a specific time, often for safety or during an emergency.
n. a regulation requiring people to be off the streets and in their homes by a designated time, often imposed by authorities during civil unrest or health crises.
“The government ordered a ten o'clock curfew to keep people safe during the protests.”
“Following the declaration of a state of emergency, the city council implemented a strict dusk-to-dawn curfew to prevent further property damage.”
Synonyms
02the deadline time
n. the specific time when you must be home or when a business must close.
n. the specific hour at which a restrictive regulation begins or a deadline for returning home.
“My parents gave me a midnight curfew when I started going out with my friends.”
“The teenager hurried home, anxious not to miss her eleven o'clock curfew and risk losing her weekend privileges.”
Real-World Examples
“Sudan's military-led government has lifted a curfew and state of emergency in Khartoum imposed more than two years ago, state media says.” “An optional midnight curfew for UK teens aged 16 and 17 was also announced.” Etymology
From Middle English curfu, from Old French cuevre-fu (French couvre-feu), from the imperative of covrir (“to cover”) + fu (“fire”). Compare kerchief.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/curfew