ban

¹ban

verb \ˈban\

banned ban·ning

Definition of BAN

transitive verb

1

archaic : curse

2

: to prohibit especially by legal means <ban discrimination>; also : to prohibit the use, performance, or distribution of <ban a book> <ban a pesticide>

3

: bar 3c <banned from the U.N.>

intransitive verb

archaic : to utter curses or maledictions

Examples of BAN

1. The school banned that book for many years.
2. The city has banned smoking in all public buildings.
3. The drug was banned a decade ago.
4. The use of cell phones is banned in the restaurant.

Origin of BAN

Middle English bannen to summon, curse, from Old English bannan to summon; akin to Old High German bannan to command, Latin fari to speak, Greek phanai to say, phōnē sound, voice

First Known Use: 12th century

Related to BAN

Synonyms

forbid, bar, enjoin, interdict, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe

Antonyms

allow, let, permit, suffer

Related Words

deter, discourage, dissuade; clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress; halt, preclude, prevent, stop; embargo, exclude, rule out, shut out; debar, deprive, disallow, reject, repudiate, veto; bridle, check, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain; block, hinder, impede, obstruct

Near Antonyms

approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; authorize, license (also licence), warrant; abet, advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, nourish, nurture, promote, support; bid, command, order; abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, tolerate

Rhymes with BAN

an, bran, can, clan, Dan, fan, flan, Jan, Klan, man, pan, Pan, panne, plan, scan, Shan, span, tan, van, Van

²ban

noun

Definition of BAN

1

: the summoning in feudal times of the king's vassals for military service

2

: anathema, excommunication

3

: malediction, curse

4

: legal or formal prohibition <a ban on beef exports>

5

: censure or condemnation especially through social pressure

Origin of BAN

Middle English, partly from bannen & partly from Old French ban, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German bannan to command

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with BAN

Bonn, chon, con, conn, dawn, don, Don, drawn, faun, fawn, gone, guan, Jon, khan, maun, mon, on, pan, pawn, prawn, Shan, spawn, swan, wan, yawn, yon, yuan

³ban

noun \ˈbän\

plural ba·ni \ˈbä-(ˌ)nē\

Definition of BAN

: a monetary subunit of the leu — see leu at money table

Origin of BAN

Romanian, money, coin, small coin

First Known Use: 1880