forbid

Forms

present (v1): forbid
past (v2): forbade
past participle (v3): forbidden
present participle: forbidding
3rd person singular: forbids

Definitions

1.To disallow; to proscribe.
- Smoking in the restaurant is forbidden.
- Solon also forbade the export of corn and other agricultural products, with the single exception of olive oil, of which Athens had a surplus.
2.To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command.
- Have I not forbid her my house?
3.To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.
- An impassable river forbids the approach of the army.

Frequency

Overall

Rare· #4769

By learning goal

Everyday conversation: Rare
General reading & writing: Rare
Academic: Rare
Literature: Rare

Related words

Antonyms

Synonyms

prohibit

Word family

for

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”).