proscribe
To officially forbid or condemn something
Examples
In a meeting
“The ethics committee proscribed any gifts over $25 from vendors.”
Over coffee
“My doctor proscribed caffeine after 2pm to help with my sleep.”
Why this word
forbid
Proscribe is formal prohibition with authority, often legal; forbid is general denial of permission
ban
Ban is informal; proscribe is the formal legal term for official prohibition or condemnation
prohibit
Prohibit is general prevention; proscribe carries formal authoritative weight and often implies denouncement
Usage tip
Often confused with 'prescribe'; proscribe means to prohibit. Use for formal bans or prohibitions.
Etymology
Latin 'proscribere' (pro- 'before' + scribere 'write'), originally meaning to publish someone's name as outlawed
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Related words
protocol
An established procedure or set of rules to follow
enjoin
To legally prohibit or order someone to do or not do something
severability
The legal principle that if one part of a contract is invalid, the rest remains enforceable
quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present for valid proceedings
recuse
To remove oneself from a decision due to conflict of interest or bias
culpable
Deserving blame or held responsible for wrongdoing