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prohibit

1. To forbid by authority; to interdict; as, god prohibited adam from eating of the fruit of a certain tree; we prohibit a person from doing a thing, and also the doing of the thing; as, the law prohibits men from stealing, or it prohibits stealing.

Prohibit was formerly followed by to with the infinitive, but is now commonly followed by from with the verbal noun in -ing.

2. To hinder; to debar; to prevent; to preclude. Gates of burning adamant, Barred over us, prohibit all egress. (milton)

Synonym: To forbid, interdict, debar, prevent, hinder.

Prohibit, Forbid. To forbid is Anglo-saxon, and is more familiar; to prohibit is latin, and is more formal or official. A parent forbids his child to be out late at night; he prohibits his intercourse with the profane and vicious.

Origin: L. Prohibitus, p. P. Of prohibere to prohibit; pro before, forth _ habere to have, hold. See Habit.