forbidden fruit

[ fer-bid-n froot, fawr-bid-n ]

See synonyms for forbidden fruit on Thesaurus.com

noun

the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, tasted by Adam and Eve against God's prohibition. Genesis 2:17; 3:3.
any unlawful pleasure, especially illicit sexual indulgence.

pomelo (def. 1).

Origin of forbidden fruit

First recorded in 1660–70

Words Nearby forbidden fruit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use forbidden fruit in a sentence

Ever since Eve urged Adam to sample the forbidden fruit, men have been doing crazy things in the name of love.
Boy Shaves Stash, Gets the Girl: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez Forever | Amy Zimmerman | August 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
They have no decision-making skills or sense of moderation when faced with the forbidden fruit roll-up.
My War Against Food Nazi Moms | Laura Bennett | January 3, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
In Plate No. 7, Laura, in yellow, acquires the rudiments of obedience and refrains from eating forbidden fruit.
Adventures and Enthusiasms | E. V. Lucas
He has the forbidden fruit in his waistcoat pocket, and can make himself a god as often and as long as he likes.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. XXII (of 25) | Robert Louis Stevenson
We are no saints, sinful men and women, all of us, and as much inclined to forbidden fruit as any good Christians can be.
The Man Between | Amelia E. Barr

Be that as it may, forbidden fruit is always sweet, and the Tommies were inclined to force an entrance.
War in the Garden of Eden | Kermit Roosevelt
And though shot and bullets were forbidden fruit, yet something might be done with hard wadding.
The Posthumous Works of Thomas De Quincey, Vol. 1 (2 vols) | Thomas De Quincey

British Dictionary definitions for forbidden fruit

forbidden fruit

noun

any pleasure or enjoyment regarded as illicit, esp sexual indulgence

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for forbidden fruit

forbidden fruit

The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, often pictured as an apple, which God forbade Adam and Eve to eat. Their disobedience brought about the Fall of Man.

Notes for forbidden fruit

“Forbidden fruit” is used commonly to refer to anything that is tempting but potentially dangerous. It is often associated with sexuality.

Other Idioms and Phrases with forbidden fruit

forbidden fruit

Unlawful pleasure or enjoyment; illicit love. For example, After Mary moved in with John, Tom began courting her—forbidden fruit is sweet, I guess, or Smoking behind the woodshed, that's a case of forbidden fruit. This expression alludes to Adam and Eve's violation of God's commandment not to touch fruit from the tree of knowledge, which resulted in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). In the form forbidden fruit is sweet it appeared in numerous early English proverb collections.

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