Interdict

English

Noun

Interdict (plural Interdicts)

1. A papal decree prohibiting the administration of the sacraments from a political entity under the power of a single person (e.g., a king or an oligarchy with similar powers). Exteme unction/Anointing of the sick are excepted.

Verb

Interdict (third-person singular simple present Interdicts, present participle Interdicting, simple past and past participle Interdicted)

1. (transitive, Roman Catholic) To exclude (someone or somewhere) from participation in church services; to place under a religious interdict.
2. (transitive) To forbid (an action or thing) by formal or legal sanction.
3. (transitive) To forbid (someone) from doing something.
4. (transitive, US, military) To impede (an enemy); to interrupt or destroy (enemy communications, supply lines etc).
   • 1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford 2004, p. 756:

     Grant did not cease his efforts to interdict Lee's supply lines and break through the defenses.

Adverbs for Interdict

solemnly; formally; legally; tyrannically; dictatorially; officially; religiously.

Thesaurus

Eighteenth Amendment, Prohibition Party, Volstead Act, arrest, arrestation, ban, bar, bench warrant, capias, caveat, check, constraint, contraband, control, cooling, cooling down, cooling off, curb, curtailment, death warrant, debar, deceleration, denial, deny, disallow, disallowance, embargo, enjoin, exclude, exclude from, exclusion, fieri facias, forbid, forbiddance, forbidden fruit, forbidding, habere facias possessionem, hindrance, index, index expurgatorius, index librorum prohibitorum, inhibit, inhibition, injunction, interdiction, interdictum, law, legal restraint, mandamus, mandate, mandatory injunction, mittimus, monopoly, nisi prius, no-no, notice, notification, outlaw, precept, preclude, preclusion, prevent, prevention, process, prohibit, prohibition, prohibitory injunction, proscribe, proscription, protection, protectionism, protective tariff, rationing, refusal, refuse, rein, reject, rejection, repress, repression, restraint, restraint of trade, restrictive covenants, retardation, retrenchment, rule out, ruling out, say no to, search warrant, self-control, shut out, slowing down, statute, sumptuary laws, suppress, suppression, taboo, tariff wall, thought control, warrant, warrant of arrest, warrant of attorney, writ, zoning, zoning laws

Etymology

Middle English entrediten, from Old French entredire (“forbid”), from Latin interdīcere, present active infinitive of interdīcō (“prohibit, forbid”), from inter (“between”) + dīcō (“say”), from Proto-Indo-European *deikō.

Related terms

• interdiction
• interdictive
• interdictory
• interdictively
• interdictor