ban

¹

[ ban ]

verb (used with object)

, banned, ban·ning.

1. to prohibit, forbid, or bar; interdict:

   to ban nuclear weapons;

   The dictator banned all newspapers and books that criticized his regime.

   Synonyms: taboo, proscribe, outlaw

   Antonyms: allow

2. Archaic.
   1. to pronounce an ecclesiastical curse upon.
   2. to curse; execrate.

noun

1. the act of prohibiting by law; interdiction.

   Synonyms: taboo, interdict, proscription, prohibition

2. informal denunciation or prohibition, as by public opinion:

   society's ban on racial discrimination.

   Synonyms: taboo

3. Law.
   1. a proclamation.
   2. a public condemnation.
4. Ecclesiastical. a formal condemnation; excommunication.
5. a malediction; curse.

ban

²

[ ban ]

noun

1. a public proclamation or edict.
2. bans, Ecclesiastical. banns.
3. (in the feudal system)
   1. the summoning of the sovereign's vassals for military service.
   2. the body of vassals summoned.

ban

³

[ ban, bahn ]

noun

1. (formerly) the governor of Croatia and Slavonia.
2. History/Historical. a provincial governor of the southern marches of Hungary.

ban

⁴

[ bahn ]

noun

, plural ba·ni [bah, -nee].

1. a Romanian coin, one 100th of a leu.

ban

¹

/ bæn /

noun

1. (in feudal England) the summoning of vassals to perform their military obligations

ban

²

/ bæn /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Romania and Moldova worth one hundredth of a leu

ban

³

/ bæn /

verb

1. tr to prohibit, esp officially, from action, display, entrance, sale, etc; forbid

   to ban smoking

   to ban a book

2. tr (formerly in South Africa) to place (a person suspected of illegal political activity) under a government order restricting his movement and his contact with other people
3. archaic.
   to curse

noun

1. an official prohibition or interdiction
2. law an official proclamation or public notice, esp of prohibition
3. a public proclamation or edict, esp of outlawry
4. archaic.
   public censure or condemnation
5. archaic.
   a curse; imprecation

Other Words From

• banna·ble adjective
• un·banned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ban¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bannen, Old English bannan “to summon, proclaim”; cognate with Old Norse banna to curse (probably influencing some senses of Middle English word), Old High German bannan; akin to Latin fārī “to speak,” Sanskrit bhanati “(he) speaks”

Origin of ban²

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, ban, ban(n)e, iban “a lord's proclamation or edict or summons,” Old English (ge)ban(n) “proclamation, ordinance, summons to arms” (derivative of bannan ); influenced in some senses by Old French ban (Anglicized as ban ), from the same Germanic source; ban ¹

Origin of ban³

First recorded in 1605–15; from Serbo-Croatian bân, contracted from unattested bojan, bajan, said to be from a Turkic personal name, perhaps introduced into the Balkans by the Avars; compare Medieval Greek bo(e)ános “governor”

Origin of ban⁴

First recorded in 1960–65; from Romanian, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Serbo-Croatian bân “provincial governor”; ban ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of ban¹

C13: from Old French ban , of Germanic origin; related to Old High German ban command, Old Norse bann ban ¹

Origin of ban²

from Romanian, from Serbo-Croat bān lord

Origin of ban³

Old English bannan to proclaim; compare Old Norse banna to forbid, Old High German bannan to command

Example Sentences

If the Israel model ban were directed towards disordered eating, Ravin says she would support it whole-heartedly.

From The Daily Beast

But in 1969, a longstanding practice was challenged—its ban on women.

From The Daily Beast

A ban on the ringing of church bells, lifted in 1941, was reimposed.

From The Daily Beast

Aside from a blanket ban, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit are nearly impossible to control.

From The Daily Beast

Or are the risks so great that a temporary ban is necessary?

From The Daily Beast

We no longer live in an age when down-trodden laborers meet by candlelight with the ban of the law upon their meeting.

From Project Gutenberg

Weary of their ungodliness the Church placed its ban upon them under this ban it seems they die.

From Project Gutenberg

Even when Christianity fell under the ban of persecution that freedom of sepulture was not at first interfered with.

From Project Gutenberg

For ten years Matthew and Mary lived happily together, or would have been happy if it had not been for the ban of the church.

From Project Gutenberg

"Aye ban tank we joost get it nice quiet van you come back again," Anderson remarked in mock melancholy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• boycott
• censorship
• embargo
• injunction
• prohibition
• refusal
• restriction