different between barren vs forbidding
barren
English
Etymology
From Middle English barein, barain, from Old French baraigne, baraing (“sterile; barren”), of obscure origin; probably from a Germanic language, perhaps Frankish *bar (“bare; barren”), from Proto-Germanic *bazaz (“bare”). More at bare.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /?bæ??n/
- Rhymes: -ær?n
- Homophone: baron (in some accents)
Adjective
barren (comparative barrener or more barren, superlative barrenest or most barren)
- (not comparable) Unable to bear children; sterile.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar:
- Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
To touch Calpurnia; for our elders say,
The barren, touched in this holy chase,
Shake off their sterile curse.
- Forget not, in your speed, Antonius,
- I silently wept as my daughter's husband rejected her. What would she do now that she was no longer a maiden but also barren?
- 1599, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar:
- Of poor fertility, infertile; not producing vegetation.
- Bleak.
- Unproductive; fruitless; unprofitable; empty.
- 1843, William H. Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico
- brilliant but barren reveries
- Augusr 28, 1731, Jonathan Swift, letter to John Gay
- But schemes are perfectly accidental. Some will appear barren of hints and matter, but prove to be fruitful.
- 1843, William H. Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico
- Mentally dull; stupid.
- 1599-1602, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, III, ii
- Set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too.
- 1599-1602, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, III, ii
Synonyms
- sterile
Antonyms
- fertile
- fruitful
Translations
Noun
barren (plural barrens)
- An area of low fertility and habitation, a desolate place.
- The pine barrens are a site lonely enough to suit any hermit.
Translations
Anagrams
- Barner
Basque
Pronunciation
- (standard) IPA(key): /ba.ren/
Etymology 1
Adjective
barren (comparative barrenago, superlative barrenen, excessive barrenegi)
- deep
Declension
Noun
barren inan
- interior
- guts, stomach
- (figuratively) soul, spirit
Declension
Etymology 2
barren
- A particle used to give certainty or emphasis.
Further reading
- “barren” in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
- “barren” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia, euskaltzaindia.eus
Catalan
Verb
barren
- third-person plural present indicative form of barrar
Norwegian Bokmål
Noun
barren m
- definite singular of barre
Norwegian Nynorsk
Noun
barren m
- definite singular of barre
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?baren/, [?ba.r?n]
Verb
barren
- Second-person plural (ustedes) present indicative form of barrer.
- Third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes?) present indicative form of barrer.
Swedish
Noun
barren
- definite singular of barr
- definite plural of barr
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forbidding
English
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /f??b?d??/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /f??b?d??/
- Rhymes: -?d??
- Hyphenation: for?bid?ding
Adjective
forbidding (comparative more forbidding, superlative most forbidding)
- Appearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
- 1726, Alexander Pope (translator), The Odyssey of Homer, London, 1760, Volume 3, Book 15, lines 57-58, p. 100,[1]
- What cause, cry’d he, can justify our flight,
- To tempt the dangers of forbidding night?
- 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, London: T. Egerton, Volume I, Chapter 3,[2]
- […] he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.
- 1922, Emily Post, Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1923, Chapter 28, p. 498,[3]
- The writer of the “blank” letter begins fluently with the date and “Dear Mary,” and then sits and chews his penholder or makes little dots and squares and circles on the blotter—utterly unable to attack the cold, forbidding blankness of that first page.
- 1988, “If You Can’t Fight City Hall, Here’s a Different Idea: Sell It,” The New York Times, 10 January, 1988,[4]
- Its forbidding brick and concrete exterior looms over a vast, windswept brick plaza in a style architectural critics, not without admiration, call “The New Brutalism.”
- 1726, Alexander Pope (translator), The Odyssey of Homer, London, 1760, Volume 3, Book 15, lines 57-58, p. 100,[1]
Antonyms
- approachable
- inviting
- welcoming
Translations
Verb
forbidding
- present participle of forbid
Noun
forbidding (plural forbiddings)
- The act by which something is forbidden; a prohibition.
- 1594, William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece,[5]
- But all these poor forbiddings could not stay him;
- 1920, St. John G. Ervine, The Foolish Lovers, London: W. Collins & Sons, Chapter 3, VIII, p. 228,[6]
- All law was composed of hindrances and obstacles and forbiddings, and therefore he was entirely opposed to Law.
- 1594, William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece,[5]
forbidding From the web:
- forbidding meaning
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- forbidding what is evil
- forbidding what is evil and enjoining good
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