Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense bans, present participle banning, past tense, past participle banned
1. verb
To ban something means to state officially that it must not be done, shown, or used.
It was decided to ban smoking in all offices later this year. [VERB noun]
Last year arms sales were banned. [VERB noun]
...a banned substance. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: prohibit, black, bar, block More Synonyms of ban
banningWord forms: plural banningsvariable noun
No reason was given for the banning of the magazine.
Opposition groups see the bannings as the latest stage of a government clampdown.
2. countable noun
A ban is an official ruling that something must not be done, shown, or used.
The General also lifted a ban on political parties. [+ on]
Synonyms: prohibition, block, restriction, veto More Synonyms of ban
3. verb
If you are bannedfrom doing something, you are officially prevented from doing it.
He was banned from driving for three years. [beVERB-ed + from]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: bar, prohibit, prevent, exclude More Synonyms of ban
ban in British English1
(bæn)
verbWord forms: bans, banning or banned
1. (transitive)
to prohibit, esp officially, from action, display, entrance, sale, etc; forbid
to ban a book
to ban smoking
2. (transitive)
(formerly in South Africa) to place (a person suspected of illegal political activity) under a government order restricting his or her movement and contact with other people
3. archaic
to curse
noun
4.
an official prohibition or interdiction
5. law
an official proclamation or public notice, esp of prohibition
6.
a public proclamation or edict, esp of outlawry
7. archaic
public censure or condemnation
8. archaic
a curse; imprecation
Word origin
Old English bannan to proclaim; compare Old Norse banna to forbid, Old High German bannan to command
ban in British English2
(bæn)
noun
(in feudal England) the summoning of vassals to perform their military obligations
Word origin
C13: from Old French ban, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German ban command, Old Norse bannban1
ban in British English3
(bæn)
nounWord forms: pluralbani (ˈbɑːnɪ)
a monetary unit of Romania and Moldova worth one hundredth of a leu
Word origin
from Romanian, from Serbo-Croat bān lord
ban in American English1
(bæn)
verb transitiveWord forms: banned or ˈbanning
1.
to prohibit, as by official order, from doing, using, appearing, happening, etc.; forbid; censor
to ban fraternities, to ban a book
2. Archaic
to curse; condemn
noun
3.
in medieval times, a proclamation, esp. an official calling of vassals to arms
4.
an excommunication or condemnation by church authorities
5.
a curse
6.
an official order forbidding something; prohibition
7.
strong public disapproval or condemnation intended to prevent something
8.
a sentence or decree of outlawry
SIMILAR WORDS: forˈbid
Word origin
ME bannen < OE bannan, to summon, proclaim < ban, a command < IE base *bha-, to speak: see phono-
ban in American English2
(bɑn)
nounWord forms: pluralˈbani (ˈbɑni)
a monetary unit of Romania, equal to 1⁄100 of a leu
Word origin
after ban, title of provincial governors of Slavonia
Examples of 'ban' in a sentence
ban
His work remained subject to censorship and many of his books were banned.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Those who have publicly flouted the ban have faced jail.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Using mobile phones in classes is also banned.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He was jailed for six years and banned from driving for eight.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She had previously served a two-year ban for irregularities in her biological passport.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It means he will be hit with an automatic three-match ban.
The Sun (2016)
THE Government wants to ban microbeads from most beauty products as they are not biodegradable.
The Sun (2016)
Yet the policy is not a ban on books or reading at all.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Once you give people a second chance they can serve their ban and do it all again.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They were bailed for sentencing next month and banned from contact.
The Sun (2011)
Those who fail could face fines and bans from shows.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Will cars be banned for causing passive inhalation of carbon monoxide?
The Sun (2006)
You could also place a ban on employees posting photographs that identify the workplace.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Competition banned so no one feels bad.
The Sun (2015)
The public ban came in over a year ago to stop this dirty habit.
The Sun (2008)
Once an athlete does something wrong they must must surely be banned for life?
The Sun (2008)
This book should be banned in prisons.
The Sun (2008)
He still has five matches of his biting ban to serve.
The Sun (2013)
They were also banned from contacting each other.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This is the first time that an athlete has been banned for four years for failing a test.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There may be a good scientific case now for looking again at the absolute ban on commercial activity.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It was banned nine years ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
When will the Government ban certain breeds and introduce licensing and liability insurance?
The Sun (2015)
More than 40 countries imposed export bans.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Enforcement proceedings could lead to public censure, bans from working in financial services or fines.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The ruling party has banned access to more than 80,000 websites.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
And then there is dog fighting, officially banned but prominent in the winter months.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
When is the Government going to ban strikes by these essential service personnel?
The Sun (2010)
The food giant says it will destroy 32million of its popular instant noodles after a ban was imposed.
The Sun (2015)
But you might not find it so easy to identify the doctor after Government plans to ban white coats in hospitals.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The yellow card took the centre half to 41 disciplinary points and earned him a three-match ban.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
ban
British English: ban /bæn/ NOUN
A ban is an official ruling that something must not be done, shown, or used.
The General also lifted a ban on political parties.
American English: ban
Arabic: حَظْر
Brazilian Portuguese: proibição
Chinese: 禁令
Croatian: zabrana
Czech: zákaz
Danish: forbud
Dutch: ban
European Spanish: prohibición
Finnish: kielto
French: interdiction
German: Verbot
Greek: απαγόρευση
Italian: bando
Japanese: 禁止
Korean: 금지
Norwegian: forbud
Polish: zakaz banicja
European Portuguese: proibição
Romanian: interdicție
Russian: запрет
Latin American Spanish: prohibición
Swedish: förbud
Thai: คำสั่งห้าม
Turkish: yasak
Ukrainian: заборона
Vietnamese: lệnh cấm
British English: ban /bæn/ VERB
To ban something means to state officially that it must not be done, shown, or used.
A law that bans smoking in all public places.
American English: ban
Arabic: يَـمْنَعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: banir
Chinese: 取缔
Croatian: zabraniti
Czech: zakázat
Danish: forbyde
Dutch: verbannen
European Spanish: prohibir
Finnish: kieltää kirja, elokuva tms.
French: interdire
German: verbieten
Greek: απαγορεύω
Italian: bandire
Japanese: 禁止する
Korean: 금지하다
Norwegian: forby
Polish: zakazać
European Portuguese: banir
Romanian: a interzice
Russian: налагать запрет
Latin American Spanish: prohibir
Swedish: förbjuda
Thai: ห้าม
Turkish: yasaklamak
Ukrainian: забороняти
Vietnamese: cấm
All related terms of 'ban'
Ban-Lon
a smooth synthetic knitted fabric that resists wrinkling
green ban
a trade union ban on any development that might be considered harmful to the environment
test ban
an agreement among nations to forgo tests of some or all types of nuclear weapons
arrière-ban
(in medieval France ) a summons to the king's vassals to do military service
import ban
a ban on the importation of certain products from a certain country into the home country
smoking ban
the prohibition of smoking cigarettes , etc in public places
hosepipe ban
a ban , due to water shortage , on using hosepipes to water the garden or wash cars
overtime ban
a refusal by employees to work overtime
touchline ban
an official prohibition of a manager or coach from being present on or near the field during a match
ban a driver
The driver of a vehicle is the person who is driving it.
Ban Ki-moon
born 1944, South Korean international civil servant ; secretary-general of the United Nations (2007–2016)
test ban treaty
a treaty which bans nations testing some or all types of nuclear weapons
Chinese translation of 'ban'
ban
(bæn)
n(c)
(= prohibition) 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) (种(種), zhǒng)
vt
(= prohibit) 禁止 (jìnzhǐ)
to be banned from driving被禁止开(開)车(車) (bèi jìnzhǐ kāichē)
( of amount, object ) 一半 yībàn ⇒ Just give me half (of) that, please. → 请给我一半。 qǐng gěi wǒ yībàn. ⇒ We ate half (of) the cake. → 我们吃了蛋糕的一半。 Wǒmen chīle dàngāo de yībàn. ⇒ The bridge was re-built in two halves. → 桥是分开两半重建的。 Qiáo shì fēnkāi liǎng bàn chóngjiàn de.
panel
( of wood, metal etc ) 板 bǎn [ 块(塊) kuài ]
plank
( of wood ) 板 bǎn [ 块(塊) kuài ]
plaque
[ c ] ( on building, wall ) 饰(飾)板 shìbǎn [ 块(塊) kài ]
segment
( of population, society ) 阶(階)层(層) jiēcéng
squad
( Mil , Police ) 班 bān
toss
扔 rēng
half a dozen
半打 bàn dá
move out
( of house ) 搬出去 bān chūqù ⇒ The guy that lived there moved out a month ago. → 以前住在那儿的家伙一个月前搬出去了。 Yǐqián zhù zài nàr de jiāhuo yī gè yuè qián bān chūqù le.
fare
( price : on train, bus ) 票价(價) piàojià [ 种(種) zhǒng ]