A restraining order is an order by a court of law that someone should stop doing something until a court decides whether they are legally allowed to continue doing it.
[mainly US, law]
His estranged wife had taken out a restraining order against him.
restraining order in British English
noun
US law
an order issued by a civil court to a potential abuser to keep away from those named in the order
Examples of 'restraining order' in a sentence
restraining order
Put it this way, I wasn't prepared to risk it, so I took out a restraining order.