Debar

/dɪˈbɑːr/ verb

Definition

To officially prevent someone from doing something or to exclude someone from a place or activity.

Etymology

From prefix de- + bar (to block or obstruct). The word emerged in Middle English from Old French and Latin roots, originally meaning to block with a bar, then evolved to mean legal or official exclusion.

Kelly Says

Debar is one of those legal terms that sounds archaic but is still actively used in modern law and sports—you'll hear it when athletes are banned or when companies are excluded from government contracts.

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