forfend etymology

Etymology:

• Old French: forfendre, "to ward off, prevent"
• Proto-Germanic: *fur-bhend-anaz, "to protect, defend"
• PIE root: *bhendh-, "to bind, tie"

Meaning:

• To prevent, avert, or ward off
• To forbid or prohibit

Origin:

The word "forfend" has its origins in the Old French verb "forfendre," which meant "to cut off, break through, or ward off." This verb was derived from the Proto-Germanic verb "fur-bhend-anaz," which also meant "to protect, defend." The Proto-Germanic verb was in turn derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "bhendh-," which meant "to bind, tie."

The original meaning of "forfend" was therefore "to cut off or ward off something that is threatening or harmful." Over time, the meaning of the word broadened to include the more general sense of "to prevent, avert, or forbid."

forfend relate terms

• fend

  Etymology Middle English fenden Old English fyndan findan Proto West Germanic finþan

• defend

  Etymology The word defend derives from the Old French word defendre which itself ori

• forefend

  Etymology Forefend is derived from two Old English words fore meaning before or

• forfend

  Etymology Old French forfendre to ward off prevent Proto Germanic fur bhend anaz

• debar

  Etymology The word debar comes from the Old French word debarrer which means to sh

• obviate

  Etymology Latin obviare meaning to go to meet to oppose Meaning To make someth

• avert

  Etymology Old French avertir Latin advertere to turn to to pay attention to Ad

• foreclose

  Etymology The word foreclose comes from the Middle English word forclosen which in t

• forbid

  Etymology Old English forbeodan from Proto West Germanic farbaudan from Proto Ger

• forestall

  Etymology Middle English fore stallen from Old English forestælan Meaning To pr

• beard

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• bread

  Etymology The word bread originates from the Middle English word bred which is deriv

• avoid

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• prevent

  Etymology Prevent comes from the Middle French prévenir from the Latin praevenire a