forbidden fruit; prohibited thing
Meanings
2 senses · 8 examplesnoun
forbidden fruit (from the Bible)
literaryRefers specifically to the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Genesis story.
In the Bible story, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.
The taste of the forbidden fruit is described as the beginning of wisdom.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
This painting depicts the scene where Eve hands Adam the forbidden fruit.
noun
a forbidden or taboo thing; something prohibited
neutralA common metaphor for anything that is off-limits, illicit, or enticing precisely because it is forbidden. Widely used in modern contexts.
For teenagers, adult alcohol can sometimes be as tempting as forbidden fruit.
The more a love is forbidden, the more it makes people want to taste the forbidden fruit.
Show 3 more examplesShow fewer examples
The company's strictly confidential new product became forbidden fruit in the eyes of competitors.
The more his parents objected, the more that romance seemed like forbidden fruit to him.
Some knowledge was declared forbidden fruit by the rulers, not to be accessed by common people.