curfew: [13] Curfew means literally ‘coverfire’. It was introduced into English via Anglo-Norman coeverfu from Old French covrefeu, which was formed from covrir ‘cover’ and feu ‘fire’ (feu was a descendant of Latin focus ‘hearth’, which has given English focus, foyer, fuel, and fusillade). The notion underlying the word is that of a signal given at a particular time in the evening to extinguish all fires in a town, camp, etc; its original purpose seems to have been to prevent accidental fires breaking out at night. => cover, focus, foyer, fuel
curfew (n.)
early 14c., "evening signal, ringing of a bell at a fixed hour," from Anglo-French coeverfu (late 13c.), from Old French cuevrefeu, literally "cover fire" (Modern French couvre-few), from cuevre, imperative of covrir "to cover" (see cover (v.)) + feu "fire" (see focus (n.)). The medieval practice of ringing a bell at fixed time in the evening as an order to bank the hearths and prepare for sleep. The original purpose was to prevent conflagrations from untended fires. The modern extended sense of "periodic restriction of movement" had evolved by 1800s.
双语例句
1. The city authorities said the curfew had contained the violence.
市政府称宵禁遏制住了暴力事件。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The local administration says the curfew is a precautionary measure.
地方当局说宵禁是一种预防措施。
来自柯林斯例句
3. A twelve hour night time curfew is in force.
正在执行12小时的宵禁。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The army imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
军队强制实行黄昏至黎明的宵禁。
来自《权威词典》
5. The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.