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ban (1)

ban [ ban ]


transitive verb  (past and past participle banned, present participle ban·ning, 3rd person present singular bans)
Definition:
 
1. forbid something: to forbid something officially or legally so that it cannot be done, used, seen, or read

2. stop somebody from doing something: to forbid somebody from doing something or going somewhere

3. history restrict rights in South Africa: during the apartheid era in South Africa, to punish somebody suspected of breaking the apartheid laws by preventing the person from moving around freely and having contact with other people



noun  (plural bans)
Definition:
 
1. order forbidding something: an order officially or legally forbidding something so that it cannot be done, used, seen, or read

2. public revilement: public condemnation of somebody or something ( archaic )

3. curse: a powerful curse on somebody ( archaic )

[ Old English bannan "summon, proclaim" < Germanic; noun via Old French ban "summons for military duty, proclamation" < same Germanic word]
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