What does "forbid" mean?

1. (to disallow an action) to officially say that something is not allowed. 2. (to order someone not to do something) to tell someone they are not allowed to do something or go somewhere. 3. (to make impossible) to prevent something from happening or make it impossible.

How do you use "forbid"?

Often used with an abstract subject like 'time', 'circumstances', or 'nature'.

Is it correct to say "The law forbids to smoke here."?

No — say "The law forbids smoking here.". When 'forbid' is used without a person as an object, it is usually followed by a gerund (-ing form) rather than an infinitive.

forbid

US //fɝˈbɪd// UK //fəbˈɪd// for·bid

Irregular verb past forbade past participle forbidden

1 to disallow an action (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to officially say that something is not allowed.

to prohibit an action or behaviour by authority or law. Transitive; often followed by a gerund or a 'to' infinitive.

Example

The school rules strictly forbid students from using their phones during lessons.

Example

The new environmental regulations forbid the dumping of industrial waste into the local river system, carrying heavy fines for any violations.
- prohibit
- ban
- disallow
Pitfall

The law forbids to smoke here.

The law forbids smoking here.

When 'forbid' is used without a person as an object, it is usually followed by a gerund (-ing form) rather than an infinitive.
2 to order someone not to do something (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to tell someone they are not allowed to do something or go somewhere.

to command a person or group not to do something or to stay away from a location. Often takes a direct object followed by 'to' and an infinitive.

Example

Her parents forbid her to go out late on school nights.

Example

The judge issued an injunction that would forbid the defendant to contact any witnesses involved in the ongoing investigation.
- invite
- welcome

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3 to make impossible (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to prevent something from happening or make it impossible.

to hinder or prevent an occurrence as if by a command; to make something impossible through circumstances.

Example

The lack of time forbids a longer discussion on this topic today.

Example

The sheer scale of the project forbids a quick resolution, requiring instead a multi-year commitment from all stakeholders involved.

Usage

Often used with an abstract subject like 'time', 'circumstances', or 'nature'.
- enable
- facilitate

Origin

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.

Word family

Verbforbid
Adjectiveforbidding

Idioms2 entries