forbid

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To order someone not to do something.

   Her parents forbid her to stay out late.

2. 2
   verb

   To officially not allow something.

   Smoking is forbidden in the restaurant.

3. 3
   verb

   To make something impossible or prevent it.

   The high price forbids most people from buying it.

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.

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