ban
nounEtymology
Inherited from Middle English bannen (“to summon; to banish; to curse”), partly from Old English bannan (“to summon, command, proclaim, call out”), from Proto-West Germanic *bannan; and partly from Old Norse banna (“to prohibit; to curse”), both from Proto-Germanic *bannaną (“to proclaim, to order; to summon; to ban; to curse, forbid”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂-new-ti ~ bʰh₂-n̥w-énti, innovative nasal-infixed zero-grade athematic present of *bʰeh₂- (“to say”). Cognate with Dutch bannen (“to ban, exile, discard”), German bannen (“to exile, to exorcise, captivate, excommunicate”), Swedish banna (“to ban, scold”), Vedic Sanskrit भन॑ति (bhánati), Armenian բան (ban) and perhaps Albanian banoj (“to reside, dwell”). See also banal, abandon.
A prohibition.
- That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence, Much more to taste it under ban to touch1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- California has been on the forefront of plastic bag bans. In 2007, Mr. Newsom, as mayor of San Francisco, signed a law that made the city the first in the nation to ban plastic bags in grocery stores.2024 September 23, Soumya Karlamangla, “California Bans All Plastic Bags After Its First Effort Backfired”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 07 Oct 2024:
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- The community also has faced political setbacks in recent years as states passed a flurry of laws, including health care bans like the one at issue in the case and measures that prohibit trans students from participating on sports teams that are consistent with their gender identity.2024 October 21, Devan Cole, “ACLU attorney will be the first openly transgender advocate to argue before Supreme Court”, in CNN, archived from the original on 21 Dec 2024:
A public proclamation or edict; also, a summons by public proclamation, and in early use especially a summons to arms.
- Bans is common and ordinary amongst the Feudists, and signifies a proclamation, or any publike notice.1641, John Rastell, translated by William Rastell, Termes de la Lay, 37b:
The gathering of the (French) king’s vassals for war; the whole body of vassals assembled this way, or liable to be summoned; originally the same as arriere-ban, but distinct since the 16th century, following French usage—see arriere-ban.
- […] he hath sente abroade to assemble his van and arriere van; wherby, and with the reste of his forces, he prepareth him selfe to enter this countrey; […]1591, published 1847, Henry Unton, Correspondence of Sir Henry Unton, knt., Ambassador from Queen Elizabeth to Henry IV. King of France, in the years MDXCI. and MDXCII., page 54
- […] all the Ban and the Arrierban, are met arm’d in the field, to choose a King […]1671, John Crowne, Juliana, or, The princess of Poland a tragicomedy, as it is acted at His Royal Highness the Duke of York's theatre, Act I, page 8:
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- France was at such a Pinch for Men, […] that they call’d their Ban and Arriere Ban, the assembling whereof had been long disus’ed, and in a Manner antiquated.1683, William Temple, chapter I, in Memoirs of what past in Christendom, from the War begun 1672, to the Peace concluded 1679:
- The ban was sometimes convoked, that is, the possessors of the fiefs were called upon for military service in subsequent ages; but with more of ostentation than real efficiency.1818, Henry Hallam, View of the State of Europe during the Middle Ages, chapter II, part II:
- The act of calling together the vassals in armed array, was entitled “convoking the ban”—“convoquer le ban.”1874, Charles Boutell, chapter 7, in Arms And Armour In Antiquity And The Middle Ages, page 98:
Obsolete A curse or anathema.
- With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infectedc. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
A pecuniary mulct or penalty laid upon a delinquent for offending against a ban, such as a mulct paid to a bishop by one guilty of sacrilege or other crimes.
- Derived terms
28 terms
antiban, argatroban, ban hammer, ban-hound, bannable, banner, ban-the-bomber, banworthy, black ban, blanket ban, bonk ban, centiban, exit ban, fissban, ghostban, green ban, hellban, instaban, kickban, overtime ban, permaban, preban, reban, shadowban, stealthban, total fire ban, unban, -xaban- Related terms
- banns