Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense forbids, present participle forbidding, past tense forbade, past participle forbidden
1. verb
If you forbid someone to do something, or if you forbid an activity, you order that it must not be done.
They'll forbid you to marry. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
She was shut away and forbidden to read. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Brazil's constitution forbids the military use of nuclear energy. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: prohibit, ban, disallow, proscribe More Synonyms of forbid
2. verb
If something forbids a particular course of action or state of affairs, it makes it impossible for the course of action or state of affairs to happen.
His own pride forbids him to ask Arthur's help. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Custom forbids any modernisation. [VERB noun]
3. God forbid
4. heaven forbid
forbid in British English
(fəˈbɪd)
verbWord forms: -bids, -bidding, -bade, -bad, -bidden or -bid(transitive)
1.
to prohibit (a person) in a forceful or authoritative manner (from doing something or having something)
2.
to make impossible; hinder
3.
to shut out or exclude
4. God forbid!
Derived forms
forbiddance (forˈbiddance) or forbiddal
noun
forbidder (forˈbidder)
noun
Word origin
Old English forbēodan; related to Old High German farbiotan, Gothic faurbiudan; see for-, bid
forbid in American English
(fərˈbɪd; fɔrˈbɪd)
verb transitiveWord forms: forˈbade or forˈbad, forˈbidden or Archaicforˈbid, forˈbidding
1.
to rule against; not permit; prohibit
2.
to command to stay away from; exclude or bar from
3.
to make impossible; prevent
SYNONYMY NOTE: forbid is the basic, direct word meaning to command a person to refrain from some action;, prohibit implies a forbidding by law or official decree; , interdict implies legal or ecclesiastical prohibition, usually for a limited time, as an exemplarypunishment or to forestall unfavorable developments; , enjoin implies a legal order from a court prohibiting (or ordering) a given action, underpenalty; , ban1 implies legal or ecclesiastical prohibition with an added connotation of strong condemnationor censure
OPPOSITES: permit, allow
Word origin
ME forbeden < OE forbeodan: see for- & bid1
Examples of 'forbid' in a sentence
forbid
Men grow beards after they marry but are forbidden to have moustaches.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He did not forbid me from marrying.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There is something forbidding about him.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But is it fair to speak of marriage when you're forbidden to marry?
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
Of care, prudence forbids us to make any sure declaration.
Christianity Today (2000)
As soon as you make a food forbidden, it becomes all you can think about.
The Sun (2013)
Perhaps that's why there is still something so deliciously forbidden about the idea for women like me.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A sense of loss and political failure is hardening in the people's minds into something more forbidding than mere regret.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I felt that I had done something forbidden.
John Cornwell Seminary Boy (2006)
Quotations
God forbidBible: Romans
It is forbidden to forbidFrench student graffiti
In other languages
forbid
British English: forbid /fəˈbɪd/ VERB
If you forbid someone to do something, or if you forbid an activity, you order that it must not be done.
The government has forbidden the sale of these products.
American English: forbid
Arabic: يُحَرِّمُ
Brazilian Portuguese: proibir
Chinese: 禁止
Croatian: zabraniti
Czech: zakázat
Danish: forbyde
Dutch: verbieden
European Spanish: prohibir
Finnish: kieltää
French: interdire
German: verbieten
Greek: απαγορεύω
Italian: vietare
Japanese: 禁じる
Korean: 금하다
Norwegian: forby
Polish: zakazać
European Portuguese: proibir
Romanian: a interzice
Russian: запрещать
Latin American Spanish: prohibir
Swedish: förbjuda
Thai: ห้าม
Turkish: yasaklamak
Ukrainian: забороняти
Vietnamese: cấm
Chinese translation of 'forbid'
forbid
(fəˈbɪd)
Word forms:ptforbade
Word forms:ppforbidden
vt
(= prohibit)[sale, marriage, event]禁止 (jìnzhǐ)
(= make impossible) 阻止 (zǔzhǐ)
to forbid sb to do sth (= prohibit) 禁止某人做某事 (jìnzhǐ mǒurén zuò mǒushì) (= make impossible) 阻止某人做某事 (zǔzhǐ mǒurén zuò mǒushì)
(verb)
Definition
to prohibit or refuse to allow
They'll forbid you to leave.
Synonyms
prohibit
the law which prohibits trading on Sunday
ban
Last year arms sales were banned.
disallow
He ruled that my testimony should be disallowed.
proscribe
They are proscribed by federal law from owning guns.
exclude
The orchestra excluded children younger than twelve.
rule out
veto
De Gaulle vetoed Britain's application to join the EEC.
outlaw
The new government has outlawed some extremist groups.
inhibit
The poor will be inhibited from getting the medical care they need.
hinder
preclude
The fact that they live in London precludes them from coming.
make illegal
debar
She could be debarred from politics for several years.
interdict
Troops could be ferried in to interdict drug shipments.
criminalize
Opposites
order
,
let
,
allow
,
grant
,
bid
,
approve
,
enable
, permit,
sanction
,
license
,
endorse
,
authorize
,
O.K. or okay (informal)
Usage note
Traditionally, it has been considered more correct to talk about forbidding someone to do something, rather than forbidding someone from doing something. Recently, however, the from option has become generally more acceptable, so that he was forbidden to come in and he was forbidden from coming in may both now be considered correct.
Quotations
God forbid [Bible: Romans]It is forbidden to forbid [French student graffiti]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ban
Definition
to prohibit or forbid officially
Last year arms sales were banned.
Synonyms
prohibit,
black,
bar,
block,
restrict,
veto,
forbid,
boycott,
suppress,
outlaw,
banish,
disallow,
proscribe,
debar,
blackball,
interdict,
criminalize
in the sense of debar
Definition
to prevent (someone) from doing something
She could be debarred from politics for several years.
Synonyms
bar,
exclude,
prohibit,
black,
stop,
keep out,
preclude,
shut out,
blackball,
interdict,
refuse admission to
in the sense of disallow
Definition
to reject as untrue or invalid
He ruled that my testimony should be disallowed.
Synonyms
reject,
refuse,
ban,
dismiss,
cancel,
veto,
forbid,
embargo,
prohibit,
rebuff,
repudiate,
disown,
proscribe,
disavow,
disclaim,
abjure
Synonyms of 'forbid'
forbid
Explore 'forbid' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of exclude
Definition
to keep out
The orchestra excluded children younger than twelve.
Synonyms
keep out,
bar,
ban,
veto,
refuse,
forbid,
boycott,
embargo,
prohibit,
disallow,
shut out,
proscribe,
black,
refuse to admit,
ostracize,
debar,
blackball,
interdict,
prevent from entering
in the sense of inhibit
Definition
to prohibit or prevent
The poor will be inhibited from getting the medical care they need.
Synonyms
prevent,
stop,
bar,
frustrate,
forbid,
prohibit,
debar
in the sense of interdict
Definition
to prohibit or forbid
Troops could be ferried in to interdict drug shipments.
Synonyms
prohibit,
bar,
ban,
prevent,
veto,
forbid,
outlaw,
disallow,
proscribe,
debar,
criminalize
in the sense of outlaw
Definition
to make (something) illegal
The new government has outlawed some extremist groups.
Synonyms
ban,
bar,
veto,
forbid,
condemn,
exclude,
embargo,
suppress,
prohibit,
banish,
disallow,
proscribe,
make illegal,
interdict,
criminalize
in the sense of preclude
Definition
to make impossible to happen
The fact that they live in London precludes them from coming.
Synonyms
prevent,
stop,
check,
exclude,
restrain,
prohibit,
inhibit,
hinder,
forestall,
debar
in the sense of proscribe
Definition
to prohibit (something)
They are proscribed by federal law from owning guns.
Synonyms
prohibit,
ban,
forbid,
boycott,
embargo,
interdict
in the sense of veto
Definition
to prohibit or forbid
De Gaulle vetoed Britain's application to join the EEC.