Origin: Germanic
Old English prefix
Forbid has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
Verb
Verb
1
command against
"I forbid you to call me late at night"
"Mother vetoed the trip to the chocolate store"
"Dad nixed our plans"
2
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
"My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"
"Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project"
3
To disallow; to proscribe.
"The school rules strictly forbid students from bringing mobile phones into the exam hall."
Example Sentences
"I forbid you to call me late at night"
verb
"Mother vetoed the trip to the chocolate store"
verb
"Dad nixed our plans"
verb
"My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"
verb
"Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project"
verb
Related Terms
Show all 39 terms ↓
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
Origin
The word forbid comes from Old English, where it originally meant to prohibit or restrain. It is formed by combining the prefix for- with the root bid, which relates to offering or proclaiming something.