Adjacent Words

forbidden definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: excluded from use or mention; "forbidden fruit"; "in our house dancing and playing cards were out"; "a taboo subject" [syn: forbidden, out, prohibited, proscribed, taboo, tabu, verboten]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Date: 13th century 1. not permitted or allowed 2. not conforming to the usual selection principles — used of quantum phenomena <forbidden transition> <forbidden radiation> <forbidden spectral line>

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Forbidden For*bid"den, a. Prohibited; interdicted. I kniw no spells, use no forbidden arts. --Milton. Forbidden fruit. (a) Any coveted unlawful pleasure, -- so called with reference to the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. (b) (Bot.) A small variety of shaddock (Citrus decumana). The name is given in different places to several varieties of Citrus fruits.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Forbid For*bid", v. t. [imp. Forbade; p. p. Forbidden(Forbid, [Obs.]); p. pr. & vb. n. Forbidding.] [OE. forbeden, AS. forbe['o]dan; pref. for- + be['o]dan to bid; akin to D. verbieden, G. verbieten, Icel., fyrirbj[=o][eth]a, forbo[eth]a, Sw. f["o]rbjuda, Dan. forbyde. See Bid, v. t.] 1. To command against, or contrary to; to prohibit; to interdict. More than I have said . . . The leisure and enforcement of the time Forbids to dwell upon. --Shak. 2. To deny, exclude from, or warn off, by express command; to command not to enter. Have I not forbid her my house? --Shak. 3. To oppose, hinder, or prevent, as if by an effectual command; as, an impassable river forbids the approach of the army. A blaze of glory that forbids the sight. --Dryden. 4. To accurse; to blast. [Obs.] He shall live a man forbid. --Shak. 5. To defy; to challenge. [Obs.] --L. Andrews. Syn: To prohibit; interdict; hinder; preclude; withold; restrain; prevent. See Prohibit.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. If something is forbidden, you are not allowed to do it or have it. Smoking was forbidden everywhere... It is forbidden to drive faster than 20mph. ADJ: usu v-link ADJ, oft it v-link ADJ to-inf 2. A forbidden place is one that you are not allowed to visit or enter. This was a forbidden area for foreigners. ADJ: usu ADJ n 3. Forbidden is used to describe things that people strongly disapprove of or feel guilty about, and that are not often mentioned or talked about. The war was a forbidden subject... Divorce? It was such a forbidden word. = taboo ADJ: usu ADJ n

Moby Thesaurus

banned, barred, contraband, forbade, forbid, illegal, illicit, nonpermissible, not permitted, off limits, out of bounds, outlawed, prohibited, ruled out, taboo, tabooed, unallowed, unauthorized, under the ban, unlawful, unlicensed, unpermissible, unsanctioned, untouchable, verboten, vetoed