Adjacent Words

Enjoin definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ENJOIN', v.t. [L. injungo. See Join. We observe that the primary sense of join is to set, extend or lay to, to throw to or on; otherwise the sense of order or command could not spring from it.To enjoin is to set or lay to or on.]
1. To order or direct with urgency; to admonish or instruct with authority; to command. Says Johnson, "this word is more authoritative than direct, and less imperious than command." It has the force of pressing admonition with authority; as, a parent enjoins on his children the duty of obedience. But it has also the sense of command; as the duties enjoined by God in the moral law.
2. In law, to forbid judicially; to issue or direct a legal injunction to stop proceedings.
This is a suit to enjoin the defendants from disturbing the plaintiffs.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: issue an injunction
2: give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority; "I said to him to go home"; "She ordered him to do the shopping"; "The mother told the child to get dressed" [syn: order, tell, enjoin, say]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French enjoindre, from Latin injungere, from in- + jungere to join — more at yoke Date: 13th century 1. to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition <enjoined us to be careful> 2. a. forbid, prohibit <was enjoined by conscience from telling a lie> b. to prohibit by a judicial order ; put an injunction on <a book had been enjoined prior to publication — David Margolick> Synonyms: see command

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 a (foll. by to + infin.) command or order (a person). b (foll. by that + clause) issue instructions. 2 (often foll. by on) impose or prescribe (an action or conduct). 3 (usu. foll. by from) Law prohibit (a person) by order. Derivatives: enjoinment n. Etymology: ME f. OF enjoindre f. L injungere (as IN-(2), jungere join)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Enjoin En*join", v. t. To join or unite. [Obs.] --Hooker.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Enjoin En*join", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Enjoined; p. pr. & vb. n. Enjoining.] [F. enjoindre, L. injungere to join into, charge, enjoin; in + jungere to join. See Join, and cf. Injunction.] 1. To lay upon, as an order or command; to give an injunction to; to direct with authority; to order; to charge. High matter thou enjoin'st me. --Milton. I am enjoined by oath to observe three things. --Shak. 2. (Law) To prohibit or restrain by a judicial order or decree; to put an injunction on. This is a suit to enjoin the defendants from disturbing the plaintiffs. --Kent. Note: Enjoin has the force of pressing admonition with authority; as, a parent enjoins on his children the duty of obedience. But it has also the sense of command; as, the duties enjoined by God in the moral law. ``This word is more authoritative than direct, and less imperious than command.'' --Johnson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(enjoins, enjoining, enjoined) 1. If you enjoin someone to do something, you order them to do it. If you enjoin an action or attitude, you order people to do it or have it. (FORMAL) She enjoined me strictly not to tell anyone else... It is true that Islam enjoins tolerance; there's no doubt about that... The positive neutrality enjoined on the force has now been overtaken by events. VERB: V n to-inf, V n, V-ed 2. If a judge enjoins someone from doing something, they order them not to do it. If a judge enjoins an action, they order people not to do it. (AM FORMAL) The judge enjoined Varityper from using the ad in any way. ...a preliminary injunction enjoining the practice. VERB: V n from -ing/n, V n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

en-join':

Its usual sense is "to impose something," as a command, a charge or a direction. In this last sense it is used in Job 36:23, i.e. "Who hath directed?" In Es 9:31 it means "to command"; in Phm 1:8, "to order" or "direct."

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Urge or admonish or advise with authority or authoritatively. 2. Order, direct, bid, command, require, prescribe to. 3. (Law.) Prohibit, restrain, put an injunction on.

Moby Thesaurus

adjure, admonish, advise, appreciate, arrest, ban, bar, bid, boast, bridle, burden with, call on, call the signals, call upon, caution, charge, check, command, commission, constrain, contain, control, cool, cool off, cotton to, counsel, curb, curtail, debar, decelerate, declare, decree, delight in, demand, deny, dictate, direct, disallow, dompt, dote, drink in, eat up, embargo, encourage, enjoy, exact, exclude, exclude from, exhort, expostulate, fancy, fasten upon, fill, forbid, forewarn, freight with, give an order, give the word, go, govern, guard, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in leash, hold up, impose, impose on, impose upon, incite, induce, inflict on, inflict upon, inhibit, instruct, interdict, issue a caveat, issue a command, issue a writ, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep under control, lay, lay on, lay under restraint, levy, like, love, luxuriate in, maintain, mandate, mind, move, occupy, ordain, order, order about, outlaw, own, persuade, place, possess, preach, preclude, prescribe, prevent, proclaim, prohibit, prompt, promulgate, pronounce, proscribe, pull, pull in, put, put down, put on, put upon, refuse, rein, rein in, reject, relish, remonstrate, repress, restrain, retain, retard, retrench, rule, rule out, saddle with, savor, say no to, say the word, set, set back, shut out, slow down, snub, straiten, subject to, suppress, taboo, take to, task, tax, tell, urge, warn, weight down with, withhold, yoke with