Etymology
The English word curfew is from old French carre-feu or cerre-feu. These initial French words later derived into couvre-feu. The word was again later turned into cover-feu in the Norman language after the conquering of the English. Each of these meant to cover the live flaming fire. There was even a metal utensil cover known as the "couvre-feu", normally only found in houses of the well-to-do. It resembled a shield and was used to be put over the live fire when the curfew bell rang. The curfew bell was known as ignitegium or peritegium bell in the medieval low Latin. Daines Barrington shows that in an old Scottish poem published in 1770 the word curfew is written curphour.
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