Forbid Definition

fər-bĭd, fôr-

forbad, forbade, forbidden, forbidding, forbids

verb

forbad, forbade, forbidden, forbidding, forbids

To command (someone) not to do something.

I forbid you to go.

American Heritage

To rule against; not permit; prohibit.

Webster's New World

To command to stay away from; exclude or bar from.

Webster's New World

To have the effect of preventing; preclude.

Discretion forbids a reply.

American Heritage

To make impossible; prevent.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Origin of Forbid

From Middle English forbeden, from Old English forbēodan (“to forbid, prohibit, restrain, refuse, repeal, annul”), equivalent to for- (“from, away”) +‎ bid (“to offer, proclaim”). Cognate with Dutch verbieden (“to forbid”), German verbieten (“to forbid”), Danish forbyde (“to forbid”), Swedish förbjuda (“to forbid”), Gothic (faurbiudan).

From Wiktionary
Middle English forbidden, forbeden from Old English forbēodan bheudh- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition