debar, v.
(dɪˈbɑː(r))
In 6–7 debarre.
[a. F. débarrer, in OF. desbarer, to unbar, f. des- (see de- I. 6) + barer, barrer, to bar.]
1. trans. a. To exclude or shut out from a place or condition; to prevent or prohibit from (entrance, or from having, attaining, or doing anything).
| c 1430 Lydg. Flour of Curtesie (R.), Man alone..Constrained is and by statute bound And debarred from all such pleasaunce. a 1557 M. Basset tr. More's Treat. Passion Wks. 1394/1 Vtterlye to debarre from heauen all mankynde for euer. 1586 W. Webbe Eng. Poetrie (Arb.) 39 Poetry is not debarred from any matter, which may be expressed by penne or speeche. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia v. 195 To debarre true men from comming to them for trade. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. iii. (1821) 243 His brother John was not debarred by the Law from the title. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 42 The multitudes, who are now debarred from voting. 1867 Smiles Huguenots Eng. ix. (1880) 144 The Huguenots were again debarred from holding public offices. |
b. const. of. (Cf. deprive of.) arch.
| 1541 Act 33 Hen. VIII, c. 6 Euery other person..be vtterly excluded and debarred of their said suites. 1599 Bp. Hall Sat. v. iii. 49 The thred bare clients pouertie Debarres th' atturney of his wonted fee. 1670 Eachard Cont. Clergy 34 Shall we debar youth of such an innocent and harmless recreation? c 1750 Shenstone Elegies xxii. 41 Tho' now debarr'd of each domestic tear. 1822 Hazlitt Table-t. Ser. ii. iii. (1869) 75 [To] debar themselves of their real strength and advantages. |
c. with double object.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxviii, I..That am debard the benefit of rest. 1630 Wadsworth Pilgr. viii. 83 My Pension..was debarred me. 1712 Hearne Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) III. 413 He was afterwards debarr'd the Library. 1754 J. Hildrop Miscell. Wks. II. 209 To debar him the prayers and Sacraments. 1863 H. Cox Instit. iii. iii. 619 Persons who profess the Popish religion or marry Papists are, by the Bill of Rights, debarred the Crown. |
† d. with inf. Obs.
| 1600 Holland Livy xlii. xxv. 1129 He was..debarred to levie warre upon any confederate allies. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iii. ii. §3 Bishops..are..debarred by their Canons to be Judges of Lay-Peers in like cases. |
† e. with simple object: To shut out, exclude.
| 1593 T. Watson Tears of Fancie xlix. (Arb.) 203 If shee debarre it whither shall it go. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 400 That vitall spirit which giueth life vnto all things is debarred, stopped and choaked. 1647 H. More Song of Soul ii. iii. iii. xlviii, Venus orb debars Not Mars, nor enters he with knocks and jars. |
2. To set a bar or prohibition against (an action, etc.); to prohibit, prevent, forbid, stop.
| 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 61 Somwhat I could enferre, Your consayte to debarre. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Matt. v. 34 note, All superfluous othes are vtterly debarred. 1597 Drayton Mortimeriados 115 Seldome aduantage is in wrongs de⁓bard. 1628 T. Spencer Logick 78 Even as the dore when it is shut, debarres all entrance. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iii. i. (1723) 169 Its Egress [would have been] utterly debarr'd. a 1848 R. W. Hamilton Rew. & Punishm. viii. (1853) 401 Adherence to such a speculation debars all Christian fellowship. 1872 Jenkinson Guide Eng. Lakes (1879) 73 At the head of the glen is a low height which appears to debar the passage. |
Hence deˈbarred ppl. a., deˈbarring vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1640 O. Sedgwicke Christs Counsell 184 It is of singular good..to a debarred person. 1604 Hieron Wks. I. 503 A law for the debarring of young men from the ministery. 1656 Trapp Comm. Matt. vii. 8 The door of the tabernacle was not of any hard or debarring matter, but a veil. 1709 W. Steuart Collect. & Observ. Ch. Scotl. ii. iv. §14 (1802) 89 The minister and Session having..debarred persons from the Lord's Table..this doctrinal debarring may fear such from partaking. |