debar

American  

[dih-bahr] / dɪˈbɑr /

verb (used with object)

debars, present (3rd person singular) debarred, past participle, past debarring present participle

1. to shut out or exclude from a place or condition.

   to debar all those who are not members.

   Antonyms:

   admit

2. to hinder or prevent; prohibit.

   to debar an action.

   Synonyms:

   interdict

   Antonyms:

   permit

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debar British  

/ dɪˈbɑː /

verb

1. to exclude from a place, a right, etc; bar

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• debarment
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has debarred
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have debarred
  perfect
• are debarring
  progressive
• am debarring
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been debarring
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been debarring
  perfect progressive
• is debarring
  progressive 3rd person singular
• debarring
  participle
• debars
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had debarred
  perfect
• had been debarring
  perfect progressive
• was debarring
  progressive singular
• were debarring
  progressive plural
• debarred
  simple
• debarred
  participle

Future

• will debar
  simple
• will have debarred
  perfect
• will have been debarring
  perfect progressive
• will be debarring
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of debar

1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French, Old French desbarrer to lock out, bar. See de-, bar ¹

Explanation

To debar is to officially bar, ban, or exclude someone from doing something. Debar can also mean to prevent something from happening. If you have a hat club, you can debar anyone who’s not wearing one. If someone is barred from entering, they are prevented from entering. Oddly enough, to debar them means the same thing. If you're debarred from a school, you can no longer attend. If a politician is debarred from office, they've been thrown out. You can also debar events. Eating well and exercising can debar many health problems. This kind of debarring means the same as averting. People try to debar negative things from happening.