BAN

A word bearing a variety of significations in the Teutonic jurisprudence and usages, but all apparently connected with the original meaning of " to proclaim, or give public notice." Hence, 1. Ban, the proclamation against an outlaw: e. g. the ban of the German Empire, equivalent to ecclesiastical excommunication or declaration of outlawry; wheuce the words banish, bandits, banditti, and to " ban " or curse; in German bannen, verbannen. 2. The ban, in the sense of the national army of a Teutonic people levied by proclamation: hence the French " lever le ban et I'arrifere ban" (the latter word being a corruption of heribannum, from heer, an army). The French ban and arriere ban was levied for the last time in 1672, and commanded by Turenne, but behaved so ill that this feudal armament was thenceforth discontinued. 3. The banns of marriage, being notice given by public proclamation to the parish of the intended solemnization. In the Sclavonic tongues ban means master: the lords of some of the frontier provinces of Turkey were so styled; hence the bannat or lordship of Temeswar, now belonging to Austria. [s. 135]