2

I'm trying to find a word meaning "you can't do that" or "you're not allowed".

I thought of impossibility but I do not want it in the sense of being impossible, but in the sense of not being allowed to.

Context:

The Sneak Out automatically provides you with a guilty conscience and the impossibility of telling people who you saw.

Improve this question

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
2

In your case I'd go with inability.

inability (n): lack of ability; lack of power, capacity, or means: his inability to make decisions

Improve this answer
3
  • I suppose I will also have to change the verb tense of "telling", i.e., inability to tell instead of inability of telling
    – djeidot
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 23:23
  • you are correct. - have an upvote
    – jim
    Commented Oct 10, 2011 at 23:25
  • No, the OP wants a word that means you're not allowed to do this, not you're unable to do it.
    – user16269
    Commented Mar 24, 2012 at 1:22
4

The adjective forbidden means:

not allowed; prohibited: a forbidden food in his religion.

The noun form of this is forbiddenness. Another option (which is synonymous) is prohibition.

Improve this answer
1

With some reorganization of your sentence, you can use words like faux pas, verboten, taboo, forbidden, and gauche.

For example: "... and then it would be verboten / gauche / taboo / socially forbidden / a faux pas / a gaffe to reveal who you saw."

Improve this answer
0

How about "bar"

The Sneak Out automatically provides you with a guilty conscience and bars you from telling people who you saw.

Improve this answer
2
  • The question asked for a noun; "bars," as you've used it, is a verb.
    – ect
    Commented Oct 11, 2011 at 1:12
  • 1
    @ect: The example used a noun, but the OP didn't make any such restriction.
    – Codie CodeMonkey
    Commented Oct 11, 2011 at 11:33

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.