forbid

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   command against

   I forbid you to call me late at night

2. 2
   verb

   To disallow; to proscribe.

   Smoking in the restaurant is forbidden.

3. 3
   verb

   To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command.

   Have I not forbid her my house?

4. 4
   verb

   To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.

   An impassable river forbids the approach of the army.

5. 5
   verb

   To accurse; to blast.

   He shall live a man forbid.

6. 6
   verb

   To defy; to challenge.

   What part of "no" do you forbid to understand?

7. 7
   verb

   keep from happening or arising

Etymology

From Middle English forbeden, from Old English forbēodan (“to forbid, prohibit, restrain, refuse, repeal, annul”), from Proto-Germanic *furibeudaną, from *furi + *beudaną. Equivalent to for- (“from, away”) + bid (“to offer, proclaim”). Cognate with Dutch verbieden (“to forbid”), German verbieten (“to forbid”), Danish forbyde (“to forbid”), Norwegian Bokmål forby (“to forbid”), Swedish förbjuda (“to forbid”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽 (faurbiudan). Related to forbode.