Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To command (someone) not to do something.
- transitive verb To command against the doing or use of (something); prohibit.
- transitive verb To have the effect of preventing; preclude.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To bid or command, as to a thing, that it shall not be done; prohibit by command, or as with authority; issue an order against, as the doing of or being something; interdict: often with a person as indirect object and an act or thing as direct object: as, to
forbid the banns (that is, the proclamation of the banns); I forbid you my house (that is, to enter my house). - To prohibit the use or action of; put under ban; restrain within limits.
- To prohibit in effect; stand in the way of; prevent: as, an impassable river forbids the approach of the army.
- To defy; challenge.
- To utter a prohibition.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To utter a prohibition; to prevent; to hinder.
- transitive verb To command against, or contrary to; to prohibit; to interdict.
- transitive verb To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command; to command not to enter.
- transitive verb To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.
- transitive verb obsolete To accurse; to blast.
- transitive verb obsolete To defy; to challenge.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To
disallow - verb To
proscribe
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb command against
- verb keep from happening or arising; make impossible
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word forbid.
Examples
-
I. iii.21 (405,9) He shall live a man forbid] Mr. Theobald has very justly explained _forbid_ by _accursed_, but without giving any reason of his interpretation.
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746
-
What federal law does forbid is racism which pretends to be something else, such as a hiring test designed to disadvantage minority applicants or a screening process that “coincidentally” preferences applicants from predominantly white schools or communities.
Wonk Room » What Skip The Professor Teaches Us About Frank The Firefighter 2009
-
Don't forget all the garbage they will dig up on Hillary if she, heaven forbid, is the nominee in the fall.
Polls: Clinton gets lead in Indiana; Obama holds in North Carolina 2008
-
I'll drag my trusty notebook down to the laundromat with me, and I will once again forbid myself any internet time.
-
If I operate my paint gun range and the terms forbid RMT for items found on my range, how will I ever know if two transacting players made some agreement over coffee at the diner around the corner from my range?
Names and Narrative 2005
-
The despotic monarchs of Spain forbid the exploring of any new gold or silver mines without the express permission of government, and they have ordered several rich ones to be shut up as not equal to the cost of working.
Letters for Literary Ladies: To Which is Added, An Essay on the Noble Science of Self-Justification 1798
-
Note, The examples of others 'ruin forbid us to be secure.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume IV (Isaiah to Malachi) 1721
-
(which will hopefully will not forbid avoiding the English words "magical girl" and instead require the Japanese words "mahou shoujo" be spoken), I must first express my condolences.
-
And if, God forbid, that is not the case, then Pakistan is betraying its own national interest.
-
And if, God forbid, that is not the case, then Pakistan is betraying its own national interest.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.