enjoin

[ en-join ]

verb (used with object)

1. to prescribe (a course of action) with authority or emphasis:

   The doctor enjoined a strict diet.

2. to direct or order to do something:

   He was enjoined to live more frugally.

   Synonyms: require, command, bid, charge

3. Law. to prohibit or restrain by an injunction.

   Synonyms: ban, interdict, proscribe

enjoin

/ ɪnˈdʒɔɪn /

verb

1. to order (someone) to do (something); urge strongly; command
2. to impose or prescribe (a condition, mode of behaviour, etc)
3. law to require (a person) to do or refrain from doing (some act), esp by issuing an injunction

Derived Forms

• enˈjoiner, noun
• enˈjoinment, noun

Other Words From

• en·joiner noun
• en·joinment noun
• reen·join verb (used with object)
• unen·joined adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of enjoin¹

1175–1225; Middle English enjoi ( g ) nen < Old French enjoindre < Latin injungere to fasten to, bring upon. See in- ², join

Word History and Origins

Origin of enjoin¹

C13: from Old French enjoindre, from Latin injungere to fasten to, from in- ² + jungere to join

Example Sentences

As Napoleon enjoined, “in war, the moral is to the material as three to one.”

From Washington Post

“Federal courts enjoy the power to enjoin individuals tasked with enforcing laws, not the laws themselves,” the majority wrote in allowing the law to go into effect.

From Washington Post

On May 24, a complaint signed by Kennedy asked the federal court to enjoin Wallace from interfering with the students.

From Time

These aren’t B2B contracts because when my payer negotiates with my provider, and they legally enjoin me to pay money according to the contract that I have no visibility into, that’s an entirely different world.

From Freakonomics

Idaho passed a similar law last year, which was later enjoined by a federal court.

From Vox

A court of equity though may do this, and enjoin a pledgee from voting the stock whenever the pledgor's rights would be affected.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes the courts, instead of going so far, will enjoin them from doing wrongs that are feared.

From Project Gutenberg

A continued to practice as before and B applied to a court of equity to enjoin him.

From Project Gutenberg

Neither was it part of that plan to enjoin either secrecy or the other thing upon him.

From Project Gutenberg

In the laws that enjoin the duty of Covenanting they are not excluded.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• preclude
• prohibit
• proscribe