The word ‘curfew’ has come to mean a time by which people have to
be indoors and off the streets.
Originally though, it had quite a different meaning.
In medieval times in England all churches and official buildings
would ring a bell at 8pm in the evening, called the curfew bell.
The word curfew was an Anglicisation of the French ‘couvre le
feu’ which meant ‘cover the fire’. The bells were thus rung to
remind people who were thinking of going to bed to put out their
candles and hearth fires to prevent the risk of conflagration.
By tradition a few places in England still ring a curfew bell,
even though despite popular belief, we don’t go in for lighting
our rooms exclusively with candles much any more.
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