---
title: curfew — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «curfew» in the school dictionary: A curfew is a rule that says people must be indoors or at home by a certain time, especially at night. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# curfew

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** curfew, rule, people, child, bell rung, army · **What happens:** be, say, set, tell, put out, fire · **To what, where:** rule, time, bell rung, people, fires, ten o'clock · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«curfew» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [curfew in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/curfew.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A curfew is a rule that says people must be indoors or at home by a certain time, especially at night.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:m1:1
# text = A curfew is a rule that says people must be indoors or at home by a certain time, especially at night.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
9	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
11	indoors	indoors	ADV	RB	_	7	ccomp	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
21	at	at	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a curfew | a rule |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a rule |  |  |  | night; time |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | must | people |  |  |  |  | indoors *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A curfew is the time by which a child or teenager must be home, set by their parents.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:m2:1
# text = A curfew is the time by which a child or teenager must be home, set by their parents.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	obl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	teenager	teenager	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	cop	_	_
14	home	home	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	set	set	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a curfew | the time |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | must | a child or teenager |  |  |  | by the time | home *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **set** | participle |  | the time *not said here* |  |  |  | by child's parents | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent by parent=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: history — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Middle Ages, the curfew was a bell rung in the evening telling people to put out their fires.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:m3:1
# text = In the Middle Ages, the curfew was a bell rung in the evening telling people to put out their fires.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Middle	Middle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	flat	_	_
4	Ages	Age	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	bell	bell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	rung	rung	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
16	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	iobj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
19	out	out	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	_
20	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	fires	fire	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the curfew | a bell rung |  |  | evening |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | a bell rung *not said here* |  | people |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent people=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **put out** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | a bell rung *not said here* | people's fires |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent fire=Goal |
| 4 | **fire** |  | people |  |  |  |  |  | nom fire «event transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My big sister's curfew is ten o'clock on Saturdays.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x1:1
# text = My big sister's curfew is ten o'clock on Saturdays.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	o'clock	o'clock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Saturdays	Saturday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My big sister's curfew | ten o'clock |  |  | saturday |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army set a curfew, and nobody could go out after dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x2:1
# text = The army set a curfew, and nobody could go out after dark.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	set	set	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	10	nsubj	_	_
9	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	out	out	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	after	after	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **set** | past | the army | a curfew |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Patient curfew=Result |
| 2 | **go out** | could | nobody |  |  |  | after dark | out *property* | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He broke his curfew and was grounded for a week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x3:1
# text = He broke his curfew and was grounded for a week.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	grounded	ground	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | past | He | his curfew |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer curfew=Patient |
| 2 | **ground** | past · passive | He *not said here* |  |  |  | week |  | vn pocket-9.10-1 «NP V» |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The campers had to be in their tents by curfew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x4:1
# text = The campers had to be in their tents by curfew.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	campers	camper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	tents	tent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the campers |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | campers's tents |  | by curfew | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
During the storm, the town had a night-time curfew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x5:1
# text = During the storm, the town had a night-time curfew.
1	During	during	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the town | a time curfew |  |  | during the storm |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent curfew=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In medieval towns, a bell rang for curfew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:curfew:x6:1
# text = In medieval towns, a bell rang for curfew.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	medieval	medieval	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bell	bell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	rang	ring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	curfew	curfew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ring** | past | a bell |  |  | medieval towns |  | for curfew | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in town=Location |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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