| Part of Speech | Definition | |
| Noun | 1. A proclamation, as of the French kings, calling not only their immediate feudatories, but the vassals of these feudatories, to take the field for war; also, the body of vassals called or liable to be called to arms, as in ancient France.[Websters]. | |
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Date "ARRIERE-BAN" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1828. (references) |
| Etymology:Arriere-ban \Ar*riere"-ban`\, noun. [French expression, from Old English arban, heriban, from Old High German. hariban, heriban, German heerbann, the calling together of an army; Old High German. heri an army ban public call or order. The French have misunderstood their old word, and have changed it into arri[`e]re-ban, though arri[`e]re has no connection with its proper meaning. See Ban, Abandon.]. (references) |
