Meaning

• Noun

  1. Prohibition.
  2. A public proclamation or edict; also, a summons by public proclamation, and in early use especially a summons to arms.
  3. The gathering of the (French) king’s vassals for war; the whole body of vassals assembled this way, or liable to be summoned; originally the same as arriere-ban, but distinct since the 16th century, following French usage—see arriere-ban.
  4. (obsolete) A curse or anathema.
  5. A pecuniary mulct or penalty laid upon a delinquent for offending against a ban, such as a mulct paid to a bishop by one guilty of sacrilege or other crimes.

• Verb