forbidden action

[fərˈbɪdən ˈækʃən]
nounpl: forbidden actions
ação proibida
1. An action that is not permitted or allowed by law, rule, authority, or social convention
Smoking in the hospital is a forbidden action.
Fumar no hospital é uma ação proibida.
2. A deed or conduct that violates established rules, regulations, or moral standards
The coach made it clear that fighting was a forbidden action on the field.
O treinador deixou claro que brigar era uma ação proibida no campo.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'ação proibida' is used in both formal legal contexts and everyday speech. In American English, this phrase is common in schools, workplaces, and public institutions where rules and regulations are enforced. The concept is universal across cultures but carries different weight depending on the context—legal violations being more serious than workplace policy violations.
NYC Slang
no-go / against the rules
Synonyms / Sinônimos
prohibited actionbanned actionunlawful actillicit actiondisallowed conduct
Antonyms / Antônimos
permitted actionallowed actionlawful actionapproved conduct

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ação proibida
Standard term used throughout Brazil
São Paulo
ação proibida / ato proibido
Both terms are commonly used in formal and informal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
ação proibida
Standard usage, sometimes replaced by 'coisa proibida' in casual speech
Portugal
ação proibida / acção proibida
European Portuguese spelling with 'acção'; meaning remains the same

Related Words

prohibitionviolationtransgressionbreachinfringementoffense

Related Idioms & Phrases

break the rules
cross the line
violate the law
do something you're not supposed to
get in trouble
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →