inhibit
Formsinhibits, inhibiting, inhibited
- 1To hold back or keep in check; to restrain something or prevent it from acting freely.
Strict rules can inhibit creativity in the workplace.
The drug inhibits the enzyme responsible for inflammation.
Similarrestrain, hinder, prevent, hamper, impede
Oppositeencourage, promote, stimulate, foster
Note
The Latin picture is still visible here: inhibeō, "I hold in, check, restrain," built from in and habeō, "I hold." To inhibit something is to keep a hand on it, which is why the verb pairs naturally with things that would otherwise grow or move freely, such as someone's freedom or someone's education. It is transitive, so there is always something being held back.
- 2To forbid a judge or ecclesiastical officeholder from proceeding in a matter; to recuse.
The appellate court voted to inhibit the trial judge pending the misconduct inquiry.
Church authorities inhibited the bishop from performing his official duties.
Similarsuspend, bar, forbid, prohibit, recuse
Note
A Philippine usage: where other varieties of English say a judge recuses, Philippine English can say inhibit. Readers elsewhere will usually hear the general "restrain" meaning instead, so recuse is the safer choice in writing meant for an international audience. The Latin sense of holding in and checking fits well, because the judge is held back from the case.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin inhibitus, the past participle of inhibeō ("I hold in, check, restrain"), formed from in ("in, at, on") and habeō ("I have, hold, keep").