interdict

American  

[in-ter-dikt, in-ter-dikt] / ˈɪn tərˌdɪkt, ˌɪn tərˈdɪkt /

noun

1. Civil Law. any prohibitory act or decree of a court or an administrative officer.

2. Roman Catholic Church. a punishment by which the faithful, remaining in communion with the church, are forbidden certain sacraments and prohibited from participation in certain sacred acts.

3. Roman Law. a general or special order of the Roman praetor forbidding or commanding an act, especially in cases involving disputed possession.

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verb (used with object)

interdicts, present (3rd person singular) interdicted, past participle, past interdicting present participle

1. to forbid; prohibit.

2. Ecclesiastical. to cut off authoritatively from certain ecclesiastical functions and privileges.

3. to impede by steady bombardment.

   Constant air attacks interdicted the enemy's advance.

interdict British  

noun

1. RC Church the exclusion of a person or all persons in a particular place from certain sacraments and other benefits, although not from communion

2. civil law any order made by a court or official prohibiting an act

3. Scots law an order having the effect of an injunction

4. Roman history

   1. an order of a praetor commanding or forbidding an act

   2. the procedure by which this order was sought

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verb

1. to place under legal or ecclesiastical sanction; prohibit; forbid

2. military to destroy (an enemy's lines of communication) by firepower

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• uninterdicted
  adjective
• interdictively
  adverb
• interdictive
  adjective
• interdictor
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have interdicted
  perfect
• has interdicted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• am interdicting
  progressive 1st person singular
• is interdicting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• interdicts
  singular 3rd person
• are interdicting
  progressive
• have been interdicting
  perfect progressive
• interdicting
  participle
• has been interdicting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had interdicted
  perfect
• was interdicting
  progressive singular
• had been interdicting
  perfect progressive
• interdicted
  simple
• interdicted
  participle
• were interdicting
  progressive plural

Future

• will interdict
  simple
• will have interdicted
  perfect
• will be interdicting
  progressive
• will have been interdicting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of interdict

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) from Latin interdictum “prohibition,” noun use of neuter of interdictus, past participle of interdīcere “to forbid,” equivalent to inter- “between, among, together” + -dic- (variant stem of dīcere “to speak”) + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English enterdit, from Old French, from Latin, as above; (verb) from Latin interdictus; replacing Middle English enterditen, from Old French entredire (past participle entredit ), from Latin, as above; see inter-

Explanation

Interdict means to forbid, to nix, to veto. If your parents find out you're planning a party for a time when they're away , they will interdict it. If your principal has interdicted gum-chewing at school, he might set up a few random check points, interdicting gum-chewing students with detentions and a command to instantly spit out their offensive, long-lasting candy. To interdict, pope-style, is to in essence excommunicate, or prohibit a person or especially a place from the functions and privileges of the church.

Example Sentences

As King John did not acknowledge him, Innocent laid England under an Interdict.

From A History of England Principally in the Seventeenth Century, Volume I (of 6) by Ranke, Leopold von

Nor was this all; for the Pope, coming to the aid of his precious friend, laid the kingdom under an Interdict again, because the people took part with the Barons. 

From A Child's History of England by Townsend, F. H.

He ordered all the ports and coasts of England to be narrowly watched, that no letters of Interdict might be brought into the kingdom; and sent messengers and bribes to the Pope’s palace at Rome. 

From A Child's History of England by Townsend, F. H.

The "Interdict" prohibited all priestly offices in the lands to which it was applied.

From A History of Germany From the Earliest Times to the Present Day by Taylor, Bayard

In July, peace is made with Florence, and the Interdict upon the city is raised.

From Letters of Catherine Benincasa by Catherine, of Siena, Saint