US /dɪˈbɑr/ UK /dɪˈbɑː/
verb

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    to exclude or prohibit from something

    A criminal record may debar him from public office.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to exclude or prohibit from... excludebarprohibitprecludebandisqualifyforbidshut out
Word family
Derived forms debarmentdebarred
Related forms bar

Etymology

From Old French desbarrer ('to unbar'), but in English taken with intensive force from de- plus bar, meaning 'to shut out, exclude'. Bar derives from Old French barre, from Vulgar Latin *barra.

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Topics

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