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Grab The RSSPrescribe and Proscribe
Only one letter separates this oppositional pair. To prescribe is to order the use of or set out a rule. From this we get a prescription, which sets out how you are to take a particular medicine. We also get prescriptive grammar, which is grammar that presumes that there is one set of grammatical rules that everyone should follow.
In contrast, to proscribe is to forbid, ban or denounce. It originates from the Latin meaning to post in writing and described the 16th century practice of posting public notices about those who had been condemned.
To keep the usage straight, think of this. If you are studying at college your set texts are prescribed, while texts that you are not allowed to read are proscribed.
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I remember encountering this word “proscribe” for the first time several years ago. At first, I thought there was typo. Luckily, my online dictionary was open and I was able to know its meaning immediately.