BAN, noun

1. A public proclamation or edict; a public order or notice, mandatory or prohibitory.

In a more particular sense,

2. Notice of a marriage proposed, or of a matrimonial contract, proclaimed in a church, that any person may object, if he knows of any kindred between the parties, of any precontract or other just cause, why the marriage should not take place.

3. An edict of interdiction or proscription. Hence to put a prince under the ban of the empire, is to divest him of his dignities, and to interdict all intercourse and all offices of humanity with the offender. Sometimes whole cities have been put under the ban that is, deprived of their rights and privileges.

4. Interdiction; prohibition.

5. Curse; excommunication; anathema.

6. A pecuniary mulct or penalty laid upon a delinquent for offending against a ban

7. A mulct paid to the bishop by one guilty of sacrilege and other crimes.

8. In military affairs, a proclamation by beat of drum, requiring a strict observance of discipline, either for declaring a new officer, or for punishing an offender.

9. In commerce, a smooth fine muslin, imported from the E.Indies.

BAN, verb transitive To curse; to execrate.

BAN, verb intransitive To curse.