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| for·bid [ fər bíd, fawr bíd ] (past for·bade [ fər bád, fawr bád, fər báyd ] or for·bad [ fər bád, fawr bád ], past participle for·bid·den [ fər bídd'n, fawr bídd'n ] or for·bid, present participle for·bid·ding, 3rd person present singular for·bids) |
transitive verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. order somebody not to do something: to tell somebody, especially forcefully, not to do or have something
 I forbid you to mention his name.
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2. not allow something: to state authoritatively that something must not be done
The rules of the game strictly forbid the use of a dictionary.
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3. make something impossible: to make something impossible, or prevent something from happening
(
formal
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Discretion forbids me to mention any names.
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| [ Old English forbēodan, literally "command against"] |
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| for·bid·dance noun |
| for·bid·der noun |
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God or heaven forbid used to express the hope that something will not happen or be done
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