interdict definition | Dictionary.com

Synonyms

ban, debar, disallow, enjoin, inhibit, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe, taboo, penalty, forbid, halt

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interdict - 6 dictionary results

in⋅ter⋅dict

[n. in-ter-dikt; v. in-ter-dikt]

–noun

1.	Civil Law. any prohibitory act or decree of a court or an administrative officer.

2.	Roman Catholic Church. a punishment by which the faithful, remaining in communion with the church, are forbidden certain sacraments and prohibited from participation in certain sacred acts.

3.	Roman Law. a general or special order of the Roman praetor forbidding or commanding an act, esp. in cases involving disputed possession.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to forbid; prohibit.

5.	Ecclesiastical. to cut off authoritatively from certain ecclesiastical functions and privileges.

6.	to impede by steady bombardment: Constant air attacks interdicted the enemy's advance.

Origin:
1250–1300; (n.) < L interdictum prohibition, n. use of neut. of interdictus ptp. of interdīcere to forbid, equiv. to inter- inter- + -dic- (var. s. of dīcere to speak) + -tus ptp. suffix; r. ME enterdit < OF < L, as above; (v.) < L interdictus; r. ME enterditen < OF entredire (ptp. entredit) < L, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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in·ter·dict (ĭn'tər-dĭkt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. in·ter·dict·ed, in·ter·dict·ing, in·ter·dicts

To prohibit or place under an ecclesiastical or legal sanction.
To forbid or debar, especially authoritatively. See Synonyms at forbid.
1. To cut or destroy (a line of communication) by firepower so as to halt an enemy's advance.
2. To confront and halt the activities, advance, or entry of: "the role of the FBI in interdicting spies attempting to pass US secrets to the Soviet Union" (Christian Science Monitor).

n. (ĭn'tər-dĭkt')

Law A prohibition by court order.
Roman Catholic Church An ecclesiastical censure that excludes a person or district from participation in most sacraments and from Christian burial.

[Alteration of Middle English enterditen, to place under a church ban, from Old French entredit, past participle of entredire, to forbid, from Latin interdīcere, interdict- : inter-, inter- + dīcere, to say; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]

in'ter·dic'tion n., in'ter·dic'tive, in'ter·dic'to·ry (-dĭk'tə-rē) adj., in'ter·dic'tive·ly adv., in'ter·dic'tor n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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interdict

c.1290, from O.Fr. entredit, pp. of entredire "forbid by decree," from L. interdicere "interpose by speech, prohibit," from inter- "between" + dicere "to speak, to say" (see diction).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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interdict
noun
1.	an ecclesiastical censure by the Roman Catholic Church withdrawing certain sacraments and Christian burial from a person or all persons in a particular district
2.	a court order prohibiting a party from doing a certain activity
verb
1.	destroy by firepower, such as an enemy's line of communication
2.	command against; "I forbid you to call me late at night"; "Mother vetoed the trip to the chocolate store"; "Dad nixed our plans" [syn: forbid] [ant: allow]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Interdict

In`ter*dict"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Interdicted; p. pr. & vb. n. Interdicting.] [OE. entrediten to forbid communion, L. interdicere, interdictum. See Interdict, n.]

1. To forbid; to prohibit or debar; as, to interdict intercourse with foreign nations.

Charged not to touch the interdicted tree. --Milton.

2. (Eccl.) To lay under an interdict; to cut off from the enjoyment of religious privileges, as a city, a church, an individual.

An archbishop may not only excommunicate and interdict his suffragans, but his vicar general may do the same. --Ayliffe.

Interdict

In`ter*dict"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Interdicted; p. pr. & vb. n. Interdicting.] [OE. entrediten to forbid communion, L. interdicere, interdictum. See Interdict, n.]

1. To forbid; to prohibit or debar; as, to interdict intercourse with foreign nations.

Charged not to touch the interdicted tree. --Milton.

2. (Eccl.) To lay under an interdict; to cut off from the enjoyment of religious privileges, as a city, a church, an individual.

An archbishop may not only excommunicate and interdict his suffragans, but his vicar general may do the same. --Ayliffe.

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