verb

forbid

to forbid, to prohibit, to ban

My parents forbid me to go out late.

My parents forbid me to go out late.

The law forbids smoking in public places.

The law forbids smoking in public places.

((sb.)) ((to-inf)) to not allow (sb.) to do (sth.) My parents forbid me to go out late.

((sth.)) to not allow (sth.) The law forbids smoking in public places.

Synonyms: prohibit, ban, disallow; Antonyms: allow, permit

From Old English 'for-' (against) + 'bēodan' (to command). Literally 'to command against'.

Think of it as 'bidding' someone not to do something. The 'for-' prefix often means 'against' or 'away'.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.