A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400-1499, 1570-1586
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Courfeu, -four, -fyre, n. Also: -fowr, -phour; couerfure, coverfyre. [ME. and e.m.E. courfeu(e, -fewe, var. of cor-, curfew (see Curfur(e), also ME. corfour, curfur. The form courfyre is assimilated to fyre.] Curfew. Also attrib. with bell, tyme. 14.. Acts I. 37/2.
Thar sal ane wacheman … gang til his wache wyth tua wapnys at the ryngyng of the courfeu [L. ignitegium] — 1574 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 39.
For ane towg of ledder to the courfowr bell 1586 Ib. 254.
Ane gret clog of tymmer … to be ane new stok to the courfour bell — 1442 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 6.
That the saidis ȝettis be steiket be thame ilk nicht at couerfure tyme— 1570 Peebles B. Rec. 324.
[The council] ordanis the stepill and knok to be ordourlie … kepit, … and to regne [= ring] xij houris, vj houris, and courfyre nychtlie 1572 Ib. 347.
[The council] ordanis the knok to be rewillit in auld maner … , and to gar hir stryke nychtlie, and to ring coverfyre xij houris and sax houris
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"Courfeu n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 Jun 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/courfeu>
