Banns

Pronunciation: /bænz/

Definitions of banns

noun a public announcement, especially in church, of an intended marriage

Example Sentences

A1 The church posted the banns for the upcoming wedding.

A2 In some cultures, banns are still read aloud in church before a wedding.

B1 Before the wedding could take place, the banns had to be announced in the local parish.

B2 The couple had to wait for three weeks after the banns were posted before they could get married.

C1 The banns were a traditional way to announce an upcoming marriage in the community.

C2 The banns were met with excitement and anticipation by the townspeople, who eagerly awaited the wedding day.

Examples of banns in a Sentence

formal The couple posted their banns in the local newspaper before their wedding.

informal Have you heard if they've put up the banns yet?

slang I heard they're finally gonna drop the banns next week.

figurative The banns of their partnership were evident in the way they worked together seamlessly.

Grammatical Forms of banns

• past tense: banned
• plural: banns
• comparative: more banns
• superlative: most banns
• present tense: banns
• future tense: will ban
• perfect tense: have banned
• continuous tense: is banning
• singular: bann
• positive degree: bann
• infinitive: to ban
• gerund: banning
• participle: banning

Origin and Evolution of banns

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'banns' originated from the Old English word 'bannan' which means 'to summon'. It was commonly used in medieval England.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to the public announcement of an impending marriage, the word 'banns' has evolved to also include other types of public announcements or proclamations.