\Ban"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Banished}(?); p. pr. &
vb. n. {Banishing}.] [OF. banir, F. bannir, LL. bannire, fr.
OHG. bannan to summon, fr. ban ban. See {Ban} an edict, and
{Finish}, v. t.]
1. To condemn to exile, or compel to leave one's country, by
   authority of the ruling power. ``We banish you our
   territories.'' --Shak.
2. To drive out, as from a home or familiar place; -- used
   with from and out of.
         How the ancient Celtic tongue came to be banished
         from the Low Countries in Scotland.   --Blair.
3. To drive away; to compel to depart; to dispel. ``Banish
   all offense.'' --Shak.
Syn: To {Banish}, {Exile}, {Expel}.
Usage: The idea of a coercive removal from a place is common
       to these terms. A man is banished when he is forced by
       the government of a country (be he a foreigner or a
       native) to leave its borders. A man is exiled when he
       is driven into banishment from his native country and
       home. Thus to exile is to banish, but to banish is not
       always to exile. To expel is to eject or banish,
       summarily or authoritatively, and usually under
       circumstances of disgrace; as, to expel from a
       college; expelled from decent society.