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Command; order; a proclamation or notifying. "Do thou thy master's bidding." Shak.

The prayer for the souls of benefactors, said before the sermon.

ing abhorrence, aversion, or dislike; disagreeable; prohibiting or interdicting; as, a forbidding aspect; a forbidding formality; a forbidding air.

Anathematization. [Obs.] We find a law of Justinian forbidding anathematisms to be pronounced against the Jewish Hellenists. J. Taylor.

ousehold. [Colloq.] Few persons of her ladyship's belongings stopped, before they did her bidding, to ask her reasons. Thackeray.

Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. "This day's black fate." "Black villainy." "Arise, black vengeance." "Black day." "Black despair." Shak.

Having black eyebrows. Hence: Gloomy; dismal; threatening; forbidding. Shak. Dryden.

Any of several acts forbidding the immigration of Chinese laborers into the United States, originally from 1882 to 1892 by act of May 6, 1882, then from 1892 to 1902 by act May 5, 1892. By act of April 29, 1902, all existing legislation on the subject was reënacted and continued, and made applicable to the insular poss…

Bidding or manifesting defiance. [Obs.] Shelford.

tion by actions or words; to speak slightingly of; to depreciate; to undervalue. Those forbidding appearances which sometimes disparage the actions of men sincerely pious. Bp. Atterbury. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms. Milton.

The act of forbidding; prohibition; command or edict against a thing. [Obs.] ow hast thou yield to transgress The strict forbiddance. Milton.

Wanting warmth, fervor, ardor, fire, vivacity, etc.; unfeeling; forbidding in manner; dull and unanimated; stiff and formal; as, a frigid constitution; a frigid style; a frigid look or manner; frigid obedience or service.

Of forbidding or fear-inspiring aspect; fierce; stern; surly; cruel; frightful; horrible. Whose grim aspect sets every joint a-shaking. Shak . The ridges of grim war. Milton.

Fierceness of look; sternness; crabbedness; forbiddingness.

ground fast." Milton. There is no way for duty to prevail, and get ground of them, but by bidding higher. South. -- To give ground, to recede; to yield advantage. These nine . . . began to give me ground. Shak. --To lose ground, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the position taken; hence, to lose advantage; to lo…

on of a political patron. [Political Cant, U. S.] The army of hungry heelers who do their bidding. The Century.

A writ from a higher court forbidding an inferior judge from further proceedings in a cause before; esp., a writ issuing from a higher ecclesiastical court to an inferior one, on appeal. Cowell.

py one's self with; to employ one's self about; to attend to; as, to mind one's business. Bidding him be a good child, and mind his book. Addison.

The act of offering, bringing forward, proposing, or bidding; a proffer; a first advance. "This offer comes from mercy." Shak.

To exceed or surpass in bidding. Prevent the greedy, and outbid the bold. Pope.