Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BAN'ISH, v.t. [Fr. bannir, bannissant; whence bannissement, banishment; Arm. embanna, to publish; forbana and forbaniza, to banish; It. bandire; D. bannen; G. verbannen, ausbannen. See Ban.]

1. To condemn to exile, or compel to leave one's country, by authority of the prince or government, either for life or for a limited time. It is common for Russians to be banished to Siberia.
2. To drive away; to compel to depart; as, to banish sorrow.
3. To quit one's country voluntarily, and with a view to reside abroad; as, he banished himself.