Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See ostracize.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb Chiefly Brit. Same as ostracize.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb UK Alternative spelling of ostracize.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb avoid speaking to or dealing with
  • verb expel from a community or group

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ὀστρακίζω (ostrakizō, "I ostracize, banish by voting with pot shards"), from ὄστρακον (ostrakon, "clay pot").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word ostracise.

Examples

  • Unity (OAU) to "ostracise" the military regime which had overthrown

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1999

  • Jews should first warn, then "ostracise" fellow Jews who fail to heed the directive, the rabbis declared.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2010

  • Oborne regrets the 'loss of self restraint' and his intention is to recreate it, or rather to again 'ostracise' and 'thrust beyond the outer margins of debate' those who dare to speak out about the impact of Islam on the British way of life.

    The British National Party 2009

  • Oborne regrets the 'loss of self restraint' and his intention is to recreate it, or rather to again 'ostracise' and 'thrust beyond the outer margins of debate' those who dare to speak out about the impact of Islam on the British way of life.

    The British National Party 2009

  • They will ostracise and terrorise a vulnerable Hispanic minority with few legal rights, encouraging them to leave or disappear further into the shadows.

    Tensions rise as Latinos feel under siege in America's deep south 2011

  • We tell the police they are entitled to information from the public yet we ostracise informers.

    New Financial Year – Now We Can Arrest Again « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010

  • My family were threatening to ostracise me, and it seemed as if the price of being with Bridget was losing my family.

    The Clanzoors? Never! 2011

  • But when it comes to alcohol, the modus operandi is to warn of its dangers, preach of the virtues of abstention, ostracise those deemed "problem drinkers" – but never go the whole hog and relegate it to its proper place of illegality like the rest of its peers.

    Don't blame binge drinking on cheap booze 2010

  • Jews and Christians may ostracise those who turn away from the religion, but Islam condemns apostates to death.

    On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with... 2009

  • Announcing to his New York readers, in July 1937, that the film-star Virginia Cherrill was due to marry an English earl, Paul also passed along the news that the British aristocracy were determined to ostracise the young screen actress, as a gesture of support towards the first, discarded wife of Lord Jersey.

    Chaplin’s Girl Miranda Seymour 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.