ban

proclamation, public announcement

noun BAHN Rare

Also means

ban (banishment)

Usage Note

Ban in modern French most often appears in the phrase le ban et l'arrière-ban, meaning 'every last person' or 'all and sundry'. Historically it referred to a lord's power to summon vassals or to proclaim publicly. Battre le ban means to beat the drum to summon people, and bans de mariage are the formal notices of an upcoming marriage.

Examples

"Les bans de mariage ont été publiés à la mairie."

Natural Translation

The marriage banns were published at the town hall.

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