forbid

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.

verb

1. (transitive) To disallow; to proscribe.
   Smoking in the restaurant is forbidden.
2. (ditransitive) To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command.
3. (transitive) To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command.
   An impassable river forbids the approach of the army.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To accurse; to blast.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To defy; to challenge.
   What part of "no" do you forbid to understand?
   So there is a resemblance between the partie that here gives licence to come to the tree of life, and the other that forbid to come to it. The one threatned with a sword; the other promiseth to the persons that keep the condition here expressed 1598, Lancelot Andrewes, sermon preached in the Parish Church of St. Giles without Cripplegate, London