debar
UK[dɪˈbɑː]US[dɪˈbɑːr]
v
to officially or legally prevent someone from doing something or going somewhere
v
to exclude or shut out from a place, condition, or privilege
Morpheme Breakdown
de
bar
de
away
bar
barrier
Etymology
The word 'debar' is a direct borrowing from Anglo-French 'debarer', which itself was formed from the prefix 'de-' and the noun 'barre'. The prefix 'de-', from Latin, intensifies the sense of removal or reversal. The core element 'bar' originates from the physical concept of a barrier or rod used to block passage. Thus, the literal construction means "to bar away" or "to block off." Over time, this concrete meaning evolved into the modern, more abstract legal and formal sense of officially excluding someone from an activity, right, or place.
Analysis
Structure: de (away) + bar (barrier)
de- (Latin origin, a prefix meaning 'away', 'off', 'down', or indicating removal); bar (from Old French 'barre', meaning a rod, barrier, or obstruction, of uncertain origin, possibly from Vulgar Latin).
Examples
The court may debar the convicted official from holding public office.
His conduct could debar him from membership in the professional association.
The rules debar any athlete who fails a drug test from competing.