English Explanatory Dictionary

forbid

English dictionary entry

Meanings

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.

Pronunciation

/fɚˈbɪd/ /fəˈbɪd/ en-us-forbid.ogg

Word forms

forbid forbids forbidding forbade forbad forbidded forbidden

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.

Synonyms

Derived words

forbiddable forbiddal forbiddance forbidder forbidding Goddess forbid God forbid heaven forbid reforbid unforbid

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