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Definition of prohibition noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

prohibition

noun
 
/ˌprəʊɪˈbɪʃn/
 
/ˌprəʊɪˈbɪʃn/
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  1. [uncountable] (formal) the act of stopping something being done or used, especially by law
    • the prohibition of child labour
    Extra Examples
    • The RSPB has called for the prohibition of all imports of wild birds.
    • a treaty for the prohibition of nuclear tests
    • The prohibition order meant that the book could not be sold in this country.
    Topics Law and justiceb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • absolute
    • blanket
    • total
    • …
    verb + prohibition
    • impose
    • enforce
    • lift
    • …
    prohibition + noun
    • notice
    • order
    • law
    • …
    preposition
    • prohibition against
    • prohibition of
    • prohibition on
    • …
    See full entry
  2. [countable] prohibition (against/on something) (formal) a law or a rule that stops something being done or used
    • a prohibition against selling alcohol to people under the age of 18
    • prohibitions on the possession of dangerous weapons
    Extra Examples
    • Companies are under strict prohibitions about divulging confidential information.
    • The village was quiet because of the strict prohibition against work on the Sabbath.
    • They imposed an absolute prohibition on trade unions.
    Topics Permission and obligationb2, Law and justiceb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • absolute
    • blanket
    • total
    • …
    verb + prohibition
    • impose
    • enforce
    • lift
    • …
    prohibition + noun
    • notice
    • order
    • law
    • …
    preposition
    • prohibition against
    • prohibition of
    • prohibition on
    • …
    See full entry
  3. Prohibition
     [uncountable] (in the US) the period of time from 1920 to 1933 when it was illegal to make and sell alcoholic drinks
    • a Prohibition-era speakeasy
    CultureProhibition in the US was not popular, and it was too expensive to make sure that the law was obeyed. It also produced criminals like Al Capone who made and sold alcohol. A few states kept prohibition laws for several years, and some counties in certain states still have them.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • absolute
    • blanket
    • total
    • …
    verb + prohibition
    • impose
    • enforce
    • lift
    • …
    prohibition + noun
    • notice
    • order
    • law
    • …
    preposition
    • prohibition against
    • prohibition of
    • prohibition on
    • …
    See full entry
    4. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, from Latin prohibitio(n-), from prohibere ‘keep in check’, from pro- ‘in front’ + habere ‘to hold’.
See prohibition in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee prohibition in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: prohibition

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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