August 15, 2011 - Word of the Day: ban

The word "ban" is used when something or someone is prohibited from a place or when an activity is not permitted. You aren't allowed to do something.

It's frequently used as a verb:

• Many restaurants and hotels now ban smoking.
• Bill was banned from the bar because he got into too many fights. (This sentence is in the passive voice.)
• The Mall of America bans guns from its premises.
• You will be banned from this chat room if you misbehave or use foul language.

It's also commonly used as a noun:

• There's a ban on smoking in almost all public buildings in the United States.
• A ban on watering lawns was put into effect during the drought. (drought = no rain)

• There was a ban on alcohol consumption in the United States between 1919 and 1933. Most Americans refer to this time as The Prohibition. It was illegal to drink alcohol during the prohibition, but a lot of people broke the law. Organized crime increased as a result of the ban.

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