different between solemn vs forbidding

English

Etymology

From Middle English solempne, solemne (“performed with religious ceremony or reverence; devoted to religious observances, sacred; ceremonious, formal; of a vow: made under a religious sanction, binding; religious celebration, celebration of a feast day; famous, well-known; important; grand, imposing; awe-inspiring, impressive; grave, serious; dignified; enunciated or held formally”) [and other forms], from Old French solempne, solemne (“serious, solemn”) [and other forms], or from its etymon Late Latin s?lempnis, s?lennis, from Latin s?lemnis, from sollemnis (“appointed, established, fixed; common, customary, ordinary, ritual, traditional, usual; ceremonial, religious, solemn; festive; annual, yearly”) [and other forms]. The further etymology is uncertain; sollus (“entire, whole”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *solh?- (“whole”)) + epulum (“banquet, feast”) (in the sense of a ritual; perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h?ed- (“to eat”)) has been suggested.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?l?m/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?l?m/
• Hyphenation: sol?emn

Adjective

solemn (comparative solemner or more solemn, superlative solemnest or most solemn)

1. (religion, specifically Christianity) Of or pertaining to religious ceremonies and rites; (generally) religious in nature; sacred.
2. (by extension)
   1. Characterized by or performed with appropriate or great ceremony or formality.
   2. Deeply serious and sombre; grave.

      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:serious

      Antonyms: lighthearted, unserious

   3. Inspiring serious feelings or thoughts; sombrely impressive.

      Synonym: awe-inspiring

   4. (obsolete) Cheerless, gloomy, sombre.

      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:cheerless

      Antonyms: cheerful; see also Thesaurus:blissful

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• solemnity on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• solemn (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Lemnos, Melson, Selmon, Smolen, lemons, losmen, melons, nmoles

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin sollemnis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /so?lemn/

Adjective

solemn m or n (feminine singular solemn?, masculine plural solemni, feminine and neuter plural solemne)

1. solemn, grave, serious
2. impressive, exalted
3. festive, celebratory

Declension

Synonyms

• (grave): grav, serios
• (festive): festiv, s?rb?toresc

Related terms

• solemnitate

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /f??b?d??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f??b?d??/
• Rhymes: -?d??
• Hyphenation: for?bid?ding

Adjective

forbidding (comparative more forbidding, superlative most forbidding)

1. Appearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
   • 1726, Alexander Pope (translator), The Odyssey of Homer, London, 1760, Volume 3, Book 15, lines 57-58, p. 100,^[1]

     What cause, cry’d he, can justify our flight,

     To tempt the dangers of forbidding night?

   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, London: T. Egerton, Volume I, Chapter 3,^[2]

     […] he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

   • 1922, Emily Post, Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1923, Chapter 28, p. 498,^[3]

     The writer of the “blank” letter begins fluently with the date and “Dear Mary,” and then sits and chews his penholder or makes little dots and squares and circles on the blotter—utterly unable to attack the cold, forbidding blankness of that first page.

   • 1988, “If You Can’t Fight City Hall, Here’s a Different Idea: Sell It,” The New York Times, 10 January, 1988,^[4]

     Its forbidding brick and concrete exterior looms over a vast, windswept brick plaza in a style architectural critics, not without admiration, call “The New Brutalism.”

Antonyms

• approachable
• inviting
• welcoming

Translations

Verb

forbidding

1. present participle of forbid

Noun

forbidding (plural forbiddings)

1. The act by which something is forbidden; a prohibition.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece,^[5]

     But all these poor forbiddings could not stay him;

   • 1920, St. John G. Ervine, The Foolish Lovers, London: W. Collins & Sons, Chapter 3, VIII, p. 228,^[6]

     All law was composed of hindrances and obstacles and forbiddings, and therefore he was entirely opposed to Law.