Basic Details
Word: Forbade
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Ordered someone not to do something; the past tense of forbid.
Synonyms: banned, prohibited, barred, disallowed
Antonyms: allowed, permitted
How to Spell Forbade
Syllables: for - bade
Tricky part: It begins with for, not fore. The ending is bade, which many people say like bad and others like made; the second way of saying it leads to forbaid.
Watch out for: forebade, forbaid, furbade
Memory tip: Forbid has no e after for: for + bid. Its past tense is for + bade, the old past of bid.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The school forbade mobile phones in the examination hall.
Example 2: Her dentist forbade sweets for a week after the tooth was pulled.
Example 3: The king forbade anyone to enter the garden after sunset.
Fun Fact
The for in forbid is not fore, meaning before. It is an old prefix meaning against or away, which you also find in forget and forsake.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. forcast 2. forbade 3. forfiet 4. fourtnight
a) a period of two weeks
b) to lose something as a penalty
c) a statement of what will probably happen
d) ordered someone not to do something
Show answer
d) ordered someone not to do something. Forecast needs fore, forfeit has ei and fortnight starts with for, so forbade is the only correct spelling.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word forbade as used in the sentence:
Her grandfather forbade the children from playing cricket near his rose bushes.
a) banned
b) prevented
c) barred
d) allowed
Show answer
d) allowed. To forbid is to say no; to allow is to say yes, so allowed is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
f_rb_de
a) o, a
b) u, a
c) a, a
d) o, e
Show answer
a) o, a. The prefix is for, spelt with an o, and the past of bid is bade.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which is the correct word in 'Yesterday the coach ____ us to drink cold water'?
a) forbidding
b) forbidded
c) forbaded
d) forbade
Show answer
d) forbade
2. If your parents forbade a late-night film, you were ____.
a) not allowed to watch it
b) asked to review it
c) given tickets to watch it
d) told to watch it twice
Show answer
a) not allowed to watch it
