banish
UK[ˈbænɪʃ]US[ˈbænɪʃ]
v
to send someone away from a country or place as an official punishment
v
to get rid of something completely, especially a thought or feeling
Etymology
the verb 'banish' entered english in the late 14th century from old french 'banir', meaning "to proclaim, summon, banish." this french term finds its source in a frankish or other germanic root, related to old high german 'bannan' meaning "to command or summon," which is also the progenitor of the english word 'ban'. the core semantic thread connects the idea of a public proclamation or command (a ban) with the act of expelling someone by official decree. over time, the meaning specialized from the general act of commanding to the specific punishment of expulsion. the sense of driving away unwanted thoughts or feelings developed later as a figurative extension of physical exile.
Analysis
the word is a simplex unit derived from old french 'banir' or 'baniss-', meaning "to proclaim, banish." it is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable english morphemes.
Examples
the king decided to banish the traitor from the realm forever.
she tried to banish all feelings of doubt from her mind before the performance.
the new policy aims to banish plastic waste from our city's parks.