forbid

Meaning

Verb

• To disallow; to proscribe.
• To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command.
• To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.
• To accurse; to blast.
• To defy; to challenge.

Related

Similar words

• prohibit
• disallow
• ban
• veto

Origin

• 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- + bid. 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. Related to forbode.