forwarn means to prohibit; forbid; deny (right, access to, etc.). It carries an Arena rating of 1377, earned across 41 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, forwarn ranks #1,225 of 13,217 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,356 of 13,217 for The Improbable, #3,435 of 13,217 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #4,616 of 13,217 for Scariest Words.
Why “forwarn” is a great word
FORWARN — [Verb] To prohibit, forbid, or deny a right, access, or request. From Middle English forwernen, from Old English forwærnan, forwoernan, forwiernan ("to hinder, prohibit, prevent, refuse, deny"), from the Proto-Germanic prefix *fra-/*fur- ("for-") combined with *warnijaną ("to care, worry"), from the Proto-Indo-European root *wer- ("to close, cover, protect"), equivalent to the English prefix for- + the now-obsolete verb warn ("to deny, forbid"). Unlike "forewarn" (which cautions of a future threat) or "permit" (which grants authorization), to forwarn is to actively bar the way. It is the slammed gate, the librarian's quiet shake of the head, the cold finality of the administrative stamp—a protective closure that shelters its domain with a terminal, silent wall.
Etymology
From Middle English forwernen, from Old English forwærnan, forwoernan, forwiernan (“to hinder, prohibit, prevent, repel, refuse, repudiate, deny, withhold, oppose”), from Proto-Germanic *fra-, *fur-, *far- (“for-”) + *warnijaną (“to care, worry”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to close, cover, protect, defend”), equivalent to for- + warn (“to deny, refuse, forbid”).
verb
- To prohibit; forbid; deny (right, access to, etc.).“Oh Cousin this wicked Duoena, this Grycta suspects the good Woman who brought the Letter, and has forwarn'd her the House.”
Words closest in meaning
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