nihil obstat

[ nahy-hil ob-stat, nee- ]

/ ˈnaɪ hɪl ˈɒb stæt, ˈni- /

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noun Roman Catholic Church.

permission to publish a book, granted by an official censor who, upon examining it, has certified that it contains nothing contrary to faith or morals.

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Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

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Origin of nihil obstat

1885–90; <Latin: literally, nothing stands in the way

Words nearby nihil obstat

NIHE, nihil, nihilism, nihilistic, nihility, nihil obstat, Nihon, nihonium, NII, Niigata, Niihau

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use nihil obstat in a sentence

Why in the world have I waited till the day your Libra gets its nihil obstat from Christopher Lemondrop* to send you a note.
William Gaddis’s Letter of Praise to Don DeLillo|William Gaddis|March 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
From the principle ex nihilo nihil fit he concluded that nothing could pass from non-existence to existence.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I|John Lord
Over the door were words of good omen, Nihil intret mal, for example, or a charm against fire.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston
But I have no ambition; at least, if any, it would be 'aut Cæsar aut nihil.'
My Recollections of Lord Byron|Teresa Guiccioli

Turner in 1538 says, "ligustrum arbor est non herba ut literatorū vulgus credit; nihil que minus est quam a Prymerose."
The plant-lore and garden-craft of Shakespeare|Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
Nihil est enim ea pietate misericordiaque crudelius, qu in impios et ultima supplicia meritos confertur.
History of the Rise of the Huguenots|Henry Baird

British Dictionary definitions for nihil obstat

nihil obstat

/ (ˈɒbstæt) /

the phrase used by a Roman Catholic censor to declare publication inoffensive to faith or morals

Word Origin for nihil obstat

Latin, literally: nothing hinders

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