forbid
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
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”), Swedish förbjuda (“to forbid”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽 (faurbiudan).
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
forbid (third-person singular simple present forbids, present participle forbidding, simple past forbid or forbade or forbad, past participle forbidden)
- (transitive) To disallow; to proscribe.
- Smoking in the restaurant is forbidden.
- 1908, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
- […] the Mole recollected that animal-etiquette forbade any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment, for any reason or no reason whatever.
- (transitive) To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command.
- Shakespeare
- Have I not forbid her my house?
- Shakespeare
- (transitive) To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.
- An impassable river forbids the approach of the army.
- Dryden
- a blaze of glory that forbids the sight
- (transitive, obsolete) To accurse; to blast.
- Shakespeare
- He shall live a man forbid.
- Shakespeare
- (transitive, obsolete) To defy; to challenge.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of L. Andrews to this entry?)
Usage notes[edit]
- This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive when the forbidden person is mentioned, and the gerund (-ing) otherwise. See Appendix:English catenative verbs. Examples:
- The management forbids employees to smoke in the office. (Active; those subject to prohibition are identified)
- Employees are forbidden to smoke in the office. (Passive; those subject to prohibition are identified)
- The management forbids smoking in the office. (Active; those subject to prohibition are not identified)
- Smoking in the office is forbidden. (Passive; those subject to prohibition are not identified)
Synonyms[edit]
- prohibit
- disallow
- ban
- veto
- See also Wikisaurus:prohibit
Translations[edit]
to disallow
|
|
References[edit]
- forbid in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- forbid in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Categories:
- English terms derived from the PIE root *bʰewdʰ-
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English words prefixed with for-
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- Requests for quotation/L. Andrews
- English irregular verbs
- English reporting verbs
